I 


BANCROrT- 

T  IVTl  M7V- 

THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

Theo  H.   Crook  Collection 

Bancroft   Liur-iry 

University  of  California 

WITHDRAWN 


i 


Cl^tctCXlUJ     ■-  f  ^ 


a' 


WILD    SCENES 


SOUTH   AMERICA; 


OR, 


LIFE  IN  THE  LLANOS  OF  VENEZUELA. 


BY 

DOjS"  RAMON  PAEZ. 


NIHIL       AEDUUM       MORTALIBUS. 


NEW  YORK: 
CHARLES    SORIBNER,    124   GRAND    STREET. 

1862. 


r 


'  Y  greyes  van  sin  cuento 
Paciendo  tu  verdura  desde  el  llano 
Que  tiene  por  lindero  el  horizonte, 
Hasta  el  erguido  monte 
De  inaccesible  nieve  siempre  cano." 

Andees  Bello,  Silva  a  la  Zona  Torrida. 


Entered,  according  to  act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  186S,  by 

CHARLES  BCRIBNER, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the  Southern 
District  of  New  York. 


JOHN  F.  TROW, 

PRmTBR,  STIREOTVPER,  AND  ELECTROTTPIB, 

48  &  50  Greene  Street, 
New  York. 


MY  YOUNG   FEIEND, 

EDWARD  B.  KETCHUM,  ESQ., 

THESE     PAGES, 
OEIGINALLY  WRITTEN  FOE  HIS  ESPECIAL   AMUSEMENT,    AEE 

AS   A    TOKEN    OF    THE    HIGH   REGARD    ENTERTAINED   FOR   HIM   AND 

HIS      ESTIMABLE      FAMILY      BY 

THE    AUTHOR. 


647 


v.- 


LIST   OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


1.  Frontispiece — Stampede  of  Wild  Horses 

2.  Morros  de  San  Juan, 

3.  Pounding  Com, 

4.  The  Caribe, 

5.  The  Electric  Eel, 

6.  Troop  of  Wild  Horses  on  the  Alert, 
v.  Across  the  Pampas, 

8.  Encounter  with  a  Crocodile, 

9.  The  Saman, 

10.  The  Manatee,     . 

11.  The  Rodeo,  . 

12.  Branding  Scenes, 

13.  Training  the  Boys,  . 

14.  Aristolochia  Apurensis, 

15.  The  Jaguar, 

16.  Garzojieando,    . 

17.  The  Armadillo, 

18.  Llanero  Encampment, 

19.  The  Great  Ant-Eater,  . 

20.  Young  Crocodile, 

21.  Crocodile  Basking  in  the  Sun 

22.  Capture  of  Spanish  Gunboats  by  Llanero  Cavalry 


19 

36 

63 

68 

74 

90 

113 

122 

162 

175 

189 

200 

219 

222 

242 

245 

247 

257 

269 

278 

322 


X  LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 

PAGK 

23.  Ferrying  the  Cattle  across  the  Apure,           .            .            .  335 

24.  Dr.  Gallegos  Sewing  the  Belly  of  a  Wounded  Horse,    .  .338 

25.  Homeward  Bound,  ......  345 

26.  Caracas,             .            .             .            .            .             .    '  .  365 

27.  Borders  of  the  Lake  of  Maracaibo,  ....  395 

28.  The  Saw-fish,     .            .             .             .             .             .  .396 

29.  The  Tapir,   .......  398 

30.  TheBonito,       .            .             .            .            .            .  .422 

31.  The  Dolphin,  .  .  .  .  .  .423 

32.  The  Sword-fish,              .            .            .            .            .  .425 

33.  The  Butterfly  Flower,           .            .            .            .            .  431 

34.  Belisario,           .            .                        .            .            .  .441 


PREFACE. 


It  was  my  lot  several  years  ago — I  need  not  state  how 
many — to  be  brought  forth  into  this  world  amid  the  wild 
scenes  which  I  propose  to  describe.  Later  in  hfe  I  was 
fortunate  enough  to  be  sent  by  my  parents  to  England,  for  the 
purpose  of  finishing  my  education  under  the  tuition  of  the 
learned  fathers  at  the  College  of  Stonyhurst.  "While  there, 
I  had  the  pleasure  of  making  the  acquaintance  of  the  inimi- 
table author  of  "  "Wanderings  in  South  America,"  Charles 
"Waterton,  Esq.,  who  years  before  had  also  been  an  inmate 
of  that  celebrated  institution,  and  whose  book  became  at  once 
my  favorite  study,  on  account  of  the  graphic  descriptions  it 
contains  of  animals  and  objects  with  which  I  was  already 
familiar.  The  works  of  the  distinguished  traveller.  Baron 
von  Humboldt,  who  first  made  those  regions  known  to  the 
civilized  world,  next  afforded  me  an  endless  source  of  scien- 
tific enjoyment,  developing  in  me  an  early  taste  for  the 
natural  history  and  physical  wonders  of  my  native  land. 


VI  PREFACE. 

On  my  return  home,  I  immediately  turned  my  steps 
toward 

"  Those  matted  woods 

Where  crouching  tigers  wait  their  hapless  prey," 

anxious  to  study  nature  in  her  own  sanctuary ;  but,  owing 
to  the  unfortunate  state  of  affairs  in  the  country,  I  did  not 
enjoy  long  my  cherished  dreams  of  exploring  it  through  all  its 
extent.  Sufficient  information  was,  however,  obtained  in  my 
rambles  through  the  plains,  to  enlarge  upon  a  subject  scarcely 
touched  upon  by  travellers. 

Thus  from  my  earliest  days  have  I  been  associated  with 
the  scenes  forming  the  text  of  the  present  narrative,  which 
I  venture  to  lay  before  the  public,  trusting  more  in  the  indul- 
gence and  characteristic  generosity  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race 
toward  foreigners,  than  in  my  own  ability  to  fulfil  the 
arduous  undertaking.  But  I  must  be  here  permitted  to 
return  my  most  sincere  thanks  to  Mr.  Alexander  Cotheal  and 
other  friends,  for  the  pains  they  have  taken  in  weeding  the 
manuscript  of  many  imperfections  in  the  language.  To  Mr. 
Frederick  Melby,  a  Danish  artist  of  great  merit,  who,  not  long 
since,  visited  the  Llanos  and  various  other  parts  of  Vene- 
zuela, I  am  also  indebted  for  his  kindness  in  placing  at  my 
disposal  his  valuable  collection  of  sketches :  from  these,  and 
from  others  taken  by  myself  during  my  journeys.  Monsieur 
V.  Nehlig  has  been  enabled  to  produce  the  accompanying 
illustrations  with  singular  fidelity  to  the  subject. 

Nkw  Yobk,  Augnst,  18C2. 


CONTENTS 


CHAP 

PAGE 

I. 

The  Departure,            .           .           .            .           . 

1 

11. 

The  Morros,            ..... 

16 

III. 

The  Llanos,       ...... 

.      26 

IV. 

The  Llaneros,          ..... 

40 

V. 

Scenes  at  the  Fishery,           .           .           .           . 

.      57 

VI. 

Wild  Horses,          ..... 

74 

VII. 

Across  the  Pampas,     ..... 

.      85 

vni. 

La  Portugcesa,        ..... 

99 

IX. 

The  Apure  River,        ..... 

.    116 

X. 

Savants'as  op  Apure, 

133 

XI. 

El  Frio, 

.    148 

XII. 

Birds  op  III  Omen  and  Carrion  Hawks, 

163 

XIIL 

The  Rodeo,        ...... 

.    175 

XIV. 

Branding  Scenes,    ..... 

189 

XV. 

Plants  and  Snakes,                 .... 

.    202 

XVI. 

Tiger  Stories,         ..... 

222 

XVII. 

Shooting  Adventures,        "     . 

.    238 

CVIII. 

Mata  Totumo,          ..... 

251 

XIX. 

Matiture,           ...... 

.    267 

XX. 

The  Cimarronera,  ..... 

280 

XXI. 

Los  Borales,     ...... 

.    289 

XXII. 

Incidents  of  the  War  of  Independence, 

302 

5XIIL 

Incidents  of  the  War  of  Independence,    . 

.    819 

viii 

CONTENTS. 

CHAP. 

XXIV. 

Scenes  at  the  Pass  op  Apurito, 

XXV. 

Calabozo, 

XXVI. 

Caracas,     .... 

XXVII. 

Monagas, 

XXVIII. 

Maracaibo, 

XXIX. 

The  Goajiros, 

XXX. 

A  Cruise  in  the  Caribbean  Sea 

XXXI. 

Ho !  FOR  Maracaibo, 

XXXII. 

Paez,           .... 

XXXIII. 

The  Exile,      . 

PAGE 

335 
848 
861 
878 
888 
404 
417 
485 
454 
479 


WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE      DEPAETURE. 

On  a  fine  morning  in  the  month  of  December  of 
the  year  1846,  a  jolly  cavalcade,  or  rather  heteroge- 
neous assemblage  from  the  various  castes  composing 
the  bulk  of  the  population  in  the  Yenezuelian  Ee- 
public,  was  to  be  seen  traversing  the  streets  of  the 
beautiful  town  of  Maracay,  in  the  direction  of  the 
road  leading  to  the  Llanos  or  Pampas  of  Apure,  a 
region  widely  celebrated  for  its  wildness,  its  dangers, 
and  the  many  exploits  enacted  therein.  There  the 
father  of  the  writer  owned  extensive  cattle  farms,  and 
the  aforesaid  company  proposed  spending  the  remain- 
der of  the  summer  season  in  hunting  among  the  un- 
tamed herds  constituting  the  wealth  and  commerce 
of  that  wild  region. 

I  shall  never  forget  the  exciting  scenes  of  that 
eventful  day ;  it  forms  one  of  the  most  pleasing  epi- 
sodes of  my  life.  Full  well  do  I  remember  also  the 
picturesqueness   of  the  variegated  costumes  of  the 


2  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

riders;  their  red  and  blue  ponchos  flowing  in  the 
wind  as  they  cantered  to  and  fro  through  the  unusu- 
ally animated  streets  of  the  little  town,  taking  leave 
of  their  friends,  and  provisioning  their  saddle-bags 
with  the  necessaries  they  required ;  the  trampling 
and  neighing  of  horses  ;  the  parting  adieux  and  wav- 
ing of  handkerchiefs  in  the  hands  of  lively  brunettes, 
as  we  defiled  under  the  windows  and  balconies  of  the 
CaUe  Real,  crowded  with  anxious  relatives,  friends, 
and  sweethearts  of  many  a  gallant  cavaher,  who 
might  never  return  from  his  distant  and  perilous 
journey.  For  my  part,  I  confess,  that  although  for 
sundry  reasons  I  regretted  departing  from  our  roman- 
tic abode  in  the  valleys  of  Aragua,  still,  so  great  was 
my  desire  to  visit  the  land  of  the  wild  bull  and  croco- 
dile, that  for  several  nights  before  leaving  home  I 
dreamed  of  nothing  but  wild  scenes  and  terrible  en- 
counters with  the  lords  of  the  savannas. 

The  method  of  conducting  a  South  American 
cattle  farm  is  entirely  different  from  that  usually 
practised  among  the  more  peaceful  scenes  of  the 
IN'orth  American  prairies.  Here  the  cattle,  accus- 
tomed from  their  birth  to  the  friendly  voice  of  man, 
readily  obey  his  commands  and  follow  him  instinc- 
tively wherever  he  leads  them.  In  the  plains  of 
South  America,  on  the  contrary,  the  herds  hear  no 
other  than  the  voice  of  E'ature  in  her  sublimest 
moods,  in  the  thunders  of  the  storm,  and  when  in 
her  vernal  showers  she  calls  upon  the  crocodiles  and 
other  drowsy  reptiles,  awakening  them  from  their 
periodical  summer's  lethargy ;  and  nightly  the  roar 
and  screams  of  savage  beasts  answering  each  other  in 


THE  DEPARTURE.  3 

the  darkness.  The  cattle,  thus  roaming  over  exten- 
sive plains,  and  free  of  all  restraint,  necessarily  require 
to  be  occasionally  collected  together  for  the  purpose 
of  branding  and  marking  the  young  calves,  which  in- 
crease there  with  astonishing  rapidity.  If  this  pre- 
caution were  neglected,  they  would  in  time  become 
so  dispersed  over  those  boundless  plains,  as  to  be  al- 
together irreclaimable.  This  operation  cannot  be  ac- 
complished, however,  without  a  great  number  of  men 
and  horses,  both  well  trained  to  and  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  this  demi-savage  occuj)ation.  There- 
fore we  mustered  now  quite  a  little  army  of  Llane- 
ros^  or  natives  of  the  Llanos,  who  are  the  only  indi- 
viduals capable  of  prosecuting  and  successfully  per- 
forming the  arduous  duties  appertaining  to  these  cat- 
tle forays. 

Our  retinue  presented  pretty  much  the  appearance 
of  an  oriental  caravan ;  it  consisted  of  more  than  a 
hundred  individuals  of  all  grades  and  colors ;  from 
the  bright,  rubicund  faces  of  merry  England's  sons, 
to  the  jetty  phiz  of  the  native  African,  all  of  whom, 
notwithstanding,  fraternized  as  though  sprung  from 
the  same  race. 

Our  company,  moreover,  had  been  organized  as 
if  for  a  military  campaign,  and  formed  the  nucleus  of 
a  more  extensive  camp,  to  be  increased  by  additions 
from  different  places  along  the  route.  The  leader — 
General  Paez — besides  having  acquired  in  early  life 
a  practical  knowledge  of  this  peculiar  warfare,  pos- 
sessed in  addition  the  rare  gift  of  being — in  the  opin- 
ion of  many — "  the  first  rider  in   South  America," 


4.  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

and  withal  tlie  most  accomplished  Llanero  in  the  Ee- 
public.  His  dispositions  were  accordingly  made  in 
a  manner  most  likely  to  insure  success  in  this  strange 
campaign  ;  passing  in  review  every  person  and  every 
object,  with  as  scrupulous  care  as  he  bestowed  upon 
the  legions  under  his  command  in  the  long  strife  for 
his  country's  freedom ;  distributing  each  particular 
horse  with  reference  to  the  skill  and  special  duties  of 
his  rider,  and  every  load  according  to  the  strength  of 
each  beast  of  burden. 

Kext  in  importance  to  the  Leader  was  a  Surgeon 
and  Physician,  whose  valuable  services  were  to  be 
frequently  called  into  requisition.  Although  we  were 
not  now  to  encounter  powder  and  ball,  we  had  to 
deal  with  no  less  dangerous  enemies  in  the  form  of 
wild  bulls,  snakes,  and  crocodiles,  without  reckoning 
the  pestiferous  marshes  of  the  country. 

After  our  Surgeon  came  the  Treasurer ;  his  duty 
was  to  conduct  safely  the  military  chest  of  the  expe- 
dition, consisting  of  sundry  bags  of  hard  dollars,  pon- 
chos, checkered  linen  handkerchiefs  of  the  peculiar 
pattern  worn  with  so  much  pride  by  Llaneros  on  the 
head,  knives,  sword  blades,  and  various  other  articles 
of  barter  which  they  prize  more  than  money  itself, 
and  for  the  attainment  of  which  they  labor  hard  and 
even  expose  their  lives. 

To  me  was  assigned  the  honorable  post  of  Secre- 
tary to  the  expedition,  whose  pleasant  duty  was  to 
keep  its  records,  and  at  times  those  of  the  political 
"  Bulls  and  Bears  "  of  the  country  at  large.  At- 
tached'to  this  office  were  an  English  amateur  of  wild 
sports,  an  English  artist  of  considerable  merit,  and  a 


THE  DEPARTURE.  5 

few  otliers,  who,  like  myself,  not  being  sufficiently 
trained  to  the  hard  operations  of  the  field,  were  forced 
to  be  content  with  the  tamer  occupations  of  the  cattle 
farm,  and  only  an  occasional  foray  among  the  smaller 
game  of  the  savannas.  ^ 

I  will  mention  two  other  individuals,  who,  al- 
though filling  less  exalted  positions  than  the  preced- 
ing— being  the  cook  and  the  washerman — were  very 
necessary  to  our  comfort ;  not  that  we  felt  over-scru- 
pulous w^ith  regard  to  the  dressing  of  either  ourselves 
or  that  of  the  savory  dishes  of  the  Llanos — where  I 
relished  a  beafsteak  au  naturel  with  as  much  gusto 
as  though  prepared  by  the  Delmouicos  or  Maillards 
of  ISTew  York — but  an  early  cup  of  coffee  was  a  lux- 
ury not  to  be  despised,  and  an  occasional  scouring  of 
our  scanty  wardrobe  was  equally  an  essential.  The 
cook  was  a  mulatto  by  birth,  whose  name — Monico — 
bore  some  similarity  to  that  of  the  distinguished 
caterer  of  William  street,  and  was  as  great  a  favorite 
with  us  as  the  latter  is  among  the  "  down  town  " 
gentry  of  the  great  city,  not  only  on  account  of  his 
good  nature  and  skill  in  the  preparation  of  the  deli- 
cious beverage  before  mentioned, 

"  que  en  los  festines 
La  fiebre  insana  templara  a  Lieo," 

but  also  for  the  aid  he  lent  his  companions  in  mend- 
ing their  tattered  garments,  being  as  accomplished  a 
tailor  and  shoemaker  as  cook.  Gaspar,  the  washer- 
man, was  a  lame  negro  rather  advanced  in  years,  but 
witli  all  tlie  vivacity  of  his  race  still  sparkling  in  his 
eyes.  He  had  earned  some  reputation  in  his  time  as 
a  brave  soldier  during  the  protracted  war  of  Inde- 


6  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

peudence,  but,  disabled  now  by  a  bullet  and  sundry 
tiger  scars,  testimonials  of  bis  good  service  in  tbe 
cause  of  bumanity,  could  perform  no  other  work  than 
tbe  rather  feminine  one  allotted  to  bim  on  this  occa- 
sion. He,  however,  possessed  other  accomplishments, 
among  which  the  chief  was  that  of  recounting  his  ad- 
ventures in  the  wars  and  with  the  wild  beasts  of  the 
field,  which  made  bim  a  desirable  companion  and 
general  favorite. 

Poor  fellows  !  they  are  both  dead,  and  their  bones, 
as  well  as  those  of  most  of  that  little  band  of  heroes, 
are  now  bleaching  in  the  hot  sun  of  the  tropics, 
amid  the  waving  grass  of  those  savannas  once  ren- 
dered famous  by  their  deeds  of  valor  and  enlivened 
by  their  chivalrous  songs.  After  faithfully  following 
their  leader  through  dangers  and  hardships  no  less 
terrible  than  those  of  the  battle-field,  one  by  one  they 
fell,  not  by  foe  "  in  battle  arrayed,"  nor  the  terrible 
stroke  of  the  wild  bull,  but  by  the  assassin's  treach- 
erous hand,  and  those  of  the  unprincipled  myrmidon 
of  military  misrule  ;  not  because  of  their  political  in- 
fluence in  the  councils  of  the  E'ation,  but  for  being 
the  faithful  followers  of  their  beloved  Chieftain. 

The  reader  has  now  been  introduced  to  those  con- 
stituting the  Staff  of  the  expedition  ;  but  in  addition 
a  host  of  attendants  and  idlers  formed  the  rank  and 
file  of  this  motley  assemblage.  Each  one  of  these  had 
a  special  duty  to  perform.  Some  were  asistentes,  or 
the  personal  attendants  of  the  former,  as  no  Uanco 
ventures  to  travel  in  the  Llanos  without  some  cicerone 
of  the  country  to  guide  him  over  the  trackless  wastes, 
to  saddle  his  horse,  and  see  that  both  horse  and  rider 


THE  DEPARTURE.  7 

are  comfortably  quartered  for  the  night.  Others  were 
appointed  to  conduct  the  beasts  of  burden,  of  which 
there  were  a  formidable  array ;  while  the  most  ex- 
perienced riders  were  intrusted  with  the  care  and 
guidance  of  our  madrina^  or  pack  of  supernumerary 
liorses,  which  formed  by  far  the  most  efficient  ele- 
ment of  our  expedition. 

Our  drove  consisted  of  about  two  hundred  spirited 
chargers,  as  swift  and  slim  as  any  that  ever  tramped 
the  hot  sands  of  Yemen  or  the  Sahara  ;  these  were  to 
be  reinforced  with  fresh  relays  from  the  cattle  farms, 
to  supply  the  place  of  those  which  might  be  carried 
off  from  various  causes  during  those  exciting  hunts. 

The  only  method  of  travelling  as  yet  adopted  in 
the  country  is  on  horseback.  This  is  at  first  somewhat 
fatiguing  to  those  unaccustomed  to  long  journeys ; 
but  the  traveller  soon  becomes  inured  to  it,  and  ends 
by  preferring  it  to  any  other,  on  account  of  the  exhil- 
arating sensation  of  independence  he  experiences  ;  at 
all  events,  it  is  the  most  convenient  that  can  be  adopted 
in  a  country  which,  like  the  Pampas,  is  subject  to 
vast  inundations,  and  overgrown  in  all  its  extent  by 
the  rank  herbage  of  the  savannas.  On  the  mountains, 
mules  are  usually  preferred  for  their  surefootedness, 
as  also  for  their  astonishing  endurance  of  hunger  and 
fatigue  ;  but  in  the  Pampas,  where  journeys  must  be 
accomplished  with  great  expedition  and  rapidity,  they 
are  comparatively  worthless  from  the  shortness  of 
their  gait,  and  also  because  their  hoofs  become  soft- 
ened by  the  marshy  soil  which  everywhere  prevails, 
they  being  never  shod,  owing  to  a  mistaken  notion 
of  the  riders,  who  believe  that  by  so  doing  the  sure- 


8  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

footedness  of  the  animal  is  impaired.  The  best  horses, 
consequently,  had  been  selected  on  this  occasion,  but 
were  not  to  be  saddled  until  we  reached  the  Llanos. 
These  were  all  collected  into  a  madrina  or  drove,  to- 
gether with  the  "caqueros  or  horses  destined  for  the 
chase,  and  placed  under  the  charge  of  half  a  dozen 
experienced  Llaneros,  who  were  to  drive  them  loose 
across  the  country.  In  the  mean  time  we  would  per- 
form on  mules  the  first  four  days  of  our  journey, 
which  lay  across  the  rough  and  hilly  country  be- 
tween the  valleys  and  the  plains.  As  beasts  of  bur- 
den, mules  are  particularly  serviceable ;  in  view  of 
this  we  had  collected  a  pack  of  about  twenty  for  the 
purpose  of  transporting  our  loads,  consisting  partly, 
as  I  have  observed,  of  various  descriptions  of  goods 
for  distribution  among  the  Llaneros,  in  part  payment 
of  their  wages ;  but  the  greater  number  were  laden 
with  our  own  chattels  and  provisions ;  for  although 
the  Llanos  are  justly  regarded  as  a  land  of  plenty,  the 
habitations  are  yet  so  widely  distant,  that  it  is  expe- 
dient to  provide  for  all  contingencies. 

Our  road,  at  times,  lay  across  extensive  fields  of 
sugar  cane,  indigo,  and  tobacco ;  or  through  vast 
plantations  of  Erithynas  {bucarales)  raised  for  the 
protection  of  the  shade-loving  Cacao  trees,  loaded 
with  the  luscious  bean  that  yields  its  "  divine  food  "  * 
to  gods  and  mortals.  At  other  times,  extensive  tracks 
of  waste  lands  {rastrojos)  overgrown  with  a  luxuriant 
vegetation,  intercepted  the  line  of  our  march,  giving 

*  Linnaeus,  in  his  enthusiasm  for  the  delightful  beverage  obtained  from 
the  cacao  bean,  named  the  plant  that  produces  it  theobroma — food  for 
the  gods. 


THE   DEPARTURE.  g 

the  country  a  wild  and  desolate  aspect.  Land  is  so 
cheap  and  plentiful  in  Yenezuela,  that  it  is  always 
more  advantageous  for  the  planter,  whenever  the 
land  has  become  exhausted  with  repeated  cultivation, 
to  clear  a  new  patch  of  ground  for  his  crop,  than  to 
trouble  himself  about  restoring  to  the  ground  by  ar- 
tificial means  what  nature  will  provide  in  the  course 
of  time.  The  rapidity  with  which  a  patch  of  waste 
land,  that  only  a  year  or  two  before  had  been  aban- 
doned as  unserviceable,  becomes  covered  witli  an  ex- 
uberant vegetation  in  the  tropics,  is  quite  extraordi- 
nary. Hardly  have  the  plough  and  hoe  of  the  indus- 
trious husbandman  ceased  to  harass  the  land  with 
their  incessant  toil,  wdien  an  entirely  different  crop 
of  indigenous  plants,  which  had  been  silently  strug- 
gling for  existence,  now  make  their  appearance,  and 
change  the  aspect  of  the  landscape  with  new  forms 
of  vegetation.  Insignificant  weeds  at  first,  scarcely 
worth  noticing,  they  soon  attain  sufficient  strength  to 
arrest  the  progress  of  any  stragglers  that  might  have 
remained  of  the  plantation.  In  a  short  time  they 
have  acquired  the  size  and  form  of  well-developed 
trees,  with  boughs  spreading  far  above  a  man  on 
horseback;  and  before  two  summers  have  elapsed, 
not  a  vestige  remains  of  what  was  once  a  flourishing 
plantation.  An  endless  variety  of  creepers,  such  as 
convolvulus,  bignonias,  and  passion  flowers,  now  find 
support  among  their  numerous  branches,  forming 
with  them  the  most  picturesque  bowers  and  arcades, 
or  hanging  by  their  sides  in  graceful  garlands  and 
festoons  of  the  most  exquisite  beauty.  Our  troop  of 
supernumerary  horses,  as  if  unwilling  to  leave  behind 
1* 


10  WILD    SCENES   IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

these  delightful  retreats,  did  not  fail  to  profit  by  the 
tangled  nature  of  the  cover,  frequently  eluding  the 
vigilance  of  the  drivers,  and  dashing  forward  when- 
ever they  saw  an  opening  to  decamp.  The  most 
skilful  management  on  the  part  of  the  drivers  was 
.then  required  to  disentangle  them  from  the  thick 
jungle  ;  otherwise  we  should  have  arrived  at  the  end 
of  our  journey  with  less  than  half  their  number.  It 
was  quite  amusing  to  see  those  reckless  fellows  glid- 
ing here  and  there  through  the  tangled  woods  in  full 
pursuit  of  the  refractory  animals,  now  hanging  from 
one  leg  down  the  sides  of  their  steeds,  or  stretched 
over  their  necks  to  avoid  being  lifted  from  the  saddle 
by  the  intervening  branches.  In  spite  of  all  precau- 
tion, and  the  vigilance  of  their  drivers,  we  missed 
several  valuable  hunters  in  the  course  of  the  journey, 
every  one  of  which  made  his  way  back  to  HhQ^otreros 
or  old  grazing  grounds  with  unerring  precision.  So 
remarkable  is  this  peculiarity  in  horses  of  one  place 
driven  across  a  strange  country,  and  the  cunning 
they  display  in  effecting  their  escape,  that  although 
we  left  instructions  along  the  route  to  secure  all  de- 
serters, most  of  those  we  missed  at  a  considerable 
distance  from  Maracay,  made  their  way  back  across 
the  fields,  avoiding  in  their  flight  the  public  roads 
and  populated  districts  through  which  we  had  passed. 
Late  in  the  evening  we  reached  San  Luis  de  Cura, 
a  town  of  some  importance  on  our  route.  Although 
we  had  there  many  friends  of  whose  hospitality  we 
could  have  availed  ourselves,  we  preferred  passing 
the  night  at  a  Pulperia,  or  country  inn,  a  short  dis- 
tance in  advance — ^hotels  being  yet  unknown  in  that 


THE   DEPARTURE.  H 

part  of  the  countiy.  Our  numerous  retinue,  and 
especially  our  horses,  accustomed  to  the  unrestrained 
freedom  of  the  potrero — an  enclosed  field  attached  to 
the  Pulperia — precluded  all  idea  of  seeking  accom- 
modations within  the  narrow  limits  of  a  city  residence. 
Declining,  therefore,  all  invitations  to  that  effect,  we 
pushed  on  to  a  place  called  El  Kodeo,  a  few  miles 
further. 

San  Luis  de  Cura — or  Yilla  de  Cura,  as  it  is 
usually  called — is  a  sort  of  entrepot  to  which  the 
people  of  the  Llanos  resort  from  time  to  time  to  bar- 
ter the  products  of  their  farms  for  those  of  foreign 
manufacture,  retailed  there  by  country  traders.  It 
is,  in  fact,  the  connecting  link  between  the  agricul- 
tural and  pastoral  sections  of  the  republic  ;  hence  we 
find  there  the  strongest  admixture  of  wild  and  civil- 
ized manners  and  costumes  curiously  intermingled  in 
all  the  pursuits  and  vocations  of  the  people.  Thus  we 
often  meet  with  persons  of  respectability  clad  in  the 
elegant  city  dress,  and  riding  a  horse  entirely  capar- 
isoned in  the  gaudy  attire  of  the  Llanos,  and  mce 
mrsa. 

Our  accommodations  at  the  inn  were  not  of  the 
most  inviting  description,  neither  its  apartments  nor 
ihQjjotrero  affording  much  comfort  to  the  weary  car- 
avan after  their  long  ride.  A  stony  bank  on  the 
slope  of  the  barren  hill  for  couch  and  the  broad  dome 
of  heaven  for  roof,  with  not  even  posts  enough  from 
which  to  sling  our  hammocks,  was  all  the  hospitality 
we  received  at  the  Pulperia.  We  slept  soundly  not- 
withstanding, softening  our  beds  of  pebbles  by  spread- 
ing our  ponchos  over  them,  w^hile  each  man's  saddle, 


i2  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

serving  at  once  as  pillow  and  larder,  furnished  ns 
with  supper  on  this  occasion.  The  llanero  sad- 
dle is  admirably  adapted  for  the  rough  journeys  of 
the  country,  and  though  somewhat  ponderous,  ren- 
ders good  service  to  the  wandering  Llanero  in  his 
long  peregrinations.  These  saddles,  usually  styled 
^aqueras,  in  allusion  to  the  occupations  of  the  riders, 
appear  to  be  modelled  after  the  gay  accoutrements  of 
the  Arabs ;  the  same  profusion  of  silver  ornament  and 
bright-colored  trimmings  of  morocco,  the  high  peak 
in  front,  and  still  higher  cantle  behind.  A  comfort- 
able jpellon  or  shabrack,  made  either  of  an  entire 
sheepskin  or  horse  hair  dyed  black  and  neatly  braided 
at  one  end,  covers  the  entire  seat,  and  hangs  from  it 
in  graceful  folds.  !N"umbers  of  bags  and  pockets — 
holsas — made  of  the  same  material  as  the  saddle,  and 
in  keeping  with  the  rest,  are  affixed  to  it  for  the  pur- 
pose of  stowing  away  all  those  little  commodities  so 
essential  to  the  traveller  on  a  long  journey,  such  as 
pajpelon^  a  sort  of  brown  sugar  in  cakes  resembling 
maple  sugar,  cheese,  cakes  of  Indian  com,  and  aguar- 
diente, a  beverage  equally  celebrated  for  its  use  and 
its  abuse.  The  stirrups,  which  are  usually  carved  from 
a  block  of  wood,  present  the  peculiarity  of  being 
longer  and  heavier  than  any  ever  adopted  by  eques- 
trians. Although  termed  africanos,  they  are  just  the 
reverse  of  their  cognomens,  as  can  be  seen  by  com- 
paring the  subjoined  designs. 

An  expert  rider  never  places  his  whole  foot  in  the 
stirrup,  as  is  the  case  with  the  Arabs,  but  holds  it 
with  his  big  toe,  so  as  to  disentangle  himself  readily 
in  case  of  a  fall.    This  habit  gives  a  crooked  shape  to 


THE    DEPARTURE.  13 

the  feet  and  legs  of  the  rider,  which  peculiarity  en- 
titles him  to  the  credit  of  being  a  good  horseman. 


Tlie  carvings  on  some  of  these  stirrups  are  very 
fanciful,  and  display  considerable  taste.  Their  beauty 
is  thought  to  consist  chiefly  in  the  two  triangular  ap- 
pendages at  the  bottom  with  which  they  urge  on  tlieir 
horses. 

The  cobija  or  poncho  is  also  a  most  indispensable 
commodity  on  these  long  journeys ;  and  no  traveller 
should  omit  providing  himself  with  one,  especially 
during  the  rainy  season.  It  is  fully  six  feet  square, 
with  a  hole  in  the  centre  to  admit  the  head,  and  its 
oflSce  is  twofold,  viz.,  to  protect  the  rider  and  his 
cumbrous  equipment  from  the  heavy  showers  and 
dews  of  the  tropics,  and  to  spread  under  him  when 
there  is  no  convenience  for  slinging  the  hammock. 
It  also  serves  as  a  protection  from  the  scorching  rays 
of  the  sun,  experience  having  tauglit  its  wearer  that 
a  thick  woollen  covering  keeps  the  body  moist  and 
cool  by  day,  and  warm  by  night.  The  poncho  used 
in  Venezuela  is  made  double,  by  sewing  together  two 
different  blankets,  the  outside  one  being  dark  blue 
and  the  inner  one  bright  red,  which  colors,  as  is  well 
known,  are  differently  acted  upon  by  light  and  heat.  ^ 
By  exposing  alternately  the  sides  of  the  poncho  to   ,^ 


14  WILD   SCENES   IX   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

the  light  according  to  the  state  of  the  weather,  those 
modifications  of  temperature  most  agreeable  to  the 
body  are  obtained.  Thus,  when  the  day  is  damp  and 
cloudy,  the  dark  side  of  the  poncho,  which  absorbs 
the  most  heat,  is  turned  towards  the  light,  while  the 
reverse  is  the  case  when  the  red  surface  is  presented 
to  the  sun.  On  the  same  principle,  the  manta^  or 
white  linen  poncho,  is  worn  when  the  sun  is  very 
powerful,  the  color  in  this  instance  repelling  the  rays 
of  light  more  readily  than  the  red  surface  of  wooUeu 
materials.  The  manta  is  a  very  expensive  luxury  on 
account  of  the  embroideries  that  usually  decorate  it, 
and  which  might  rival  in  elegance  the  finest  skirt 
of  a  New  York  or  Parisian  helle.  When  worn  by  a 
gallant  cavalier  on  a  sunny  day,  it  presents  in  the 
distance  a  very  picturesque  appearance,  not  unlike 
the  graceful  bornouse  of  the  Arabs. 

Equally  useful  and  expensive  is  the  hammock,  one 
of  the  few  articles  of  native  manufacture  produced  in 
Venezuela,  and  one  which  has  thus  far  bafiled  the 
ingenuity  of  foreign  weavers  to  imitate.  It  is  woven 
by  hand  on  looms  of  rude  construction  in  very  tasteful 
designs,  and  trimmed  with  fringings  of  the  most  com- 
plicated pattern.  A  fine  hammock  costs  from  fifty 
to  sixty  dollars. 

It  may  truly  be  said  that  with  hammock,  poncho, 
and  the  saddle  with  its  array  of  pockets,  &c.,  the 
roving  dwellers  of  the  pampas  are  at  home  wherever 
they  may  be.  They  are,  in  fact,  the  tent,  bed,  and 
valise  best  adapted  to  the  country,  afibrding  them  all 
the  comfort  that  a  princely  rajah  could  experience 
^   under  his  gorgeous  panoply  of  oriental  magnificence, 


THE    DEPARTURE.  15 

and  possessing,  moreover,  the  advantage  of  being 
easily  conveyed  from  place  to  place,  in  a  small  compass, 
by  the  riders.  The  hammock  and  the  poncho  usu- 
ally form  a  bundle  behind  the  saddle  ;  with  them  the 
traveller  makes  himself  a  tent  when  camping  out, 
by  stretching  out  a  rope  from  end  to  end  of  the  ham- 
mock, over  which  the  poncho  is  thrown  at  oblique 
angles,  and  then  tied  securely  to  the  rope.  Under  it 
the  traveller  may  now  defy  the  storm,  and  even  Old 
Boreas  himself,  as  the  stronger  the  tent  is  impelled  to 
and  fro,  the  more  lulling  to  the  sleeper  will  be  the 
motion  imparted  to  it  from  the  outside. 

It  is  surprising  to  see  a  horse  of  so  small  stature  as 
those  from  the  Llanos  generally  are,  carry  on  his 
back  both  the  weight  of  the  rider  and  his  ponderous 
equipment  for  such  considerable  distances ;  but  the 
fact  is,  that  the  loads  are  so  well  distributed  and 
counterbalanced,  that  the  animals  feel  no  material  in- 
convenience therefrom. 


CHAPTER  n. 

THE       MOEEOS. 

Early  the  next  morning  we  were  aroused  by  the 
trampling  of  horses  and  tinkling  of  stirrups  close  to 
our  resting  places,  apprising  us  that  the  hour  of  de- 
parture was  near  at  hand.  To  travel  with  comfort  in 
those  hot  regions,  it  is  necessary  to  make  the  most  of 
the  absence  of  the  sun,  before  its  rays  descend  to  the 
earth  in  glowing  streams,  parching  the  body  and 
spirits  of  the  traveller.  Our  people,  therefore,  com- 
menced to  saddle  and  load  as  early  as  three  o'clock 
A.  M.  The  operation  usually  occupied  considerable 
time,  as  each  animal  had  to  be  hunted  in  the  dark,  as 
well  as  its  accoutrements.  The  baggage  mules,  espe- 
cially, required  more  than  ordinary  skill  in  replacing 
and  adjusting  the  loads  upon  their  backs  by  means  of  a 
hundred  turns  of  the  lazos^  or  raw-hide  halters.  And 
even  after  the  greatest  precautions,  the  vicious  creatures 
endeavored  to  displace  their  loads  by  running  against 
each  other  or  rolling  on  the  ground,  to  the  inconceiv- 
able disgust  of  the  drivers,  who  were  often  compelled 
to  alight  from  their  sumpters  to  put  things  to  rights. 

Our  road  lay  this  day  across  a  wild  and  desolate 
valley,  presenting  the  appearance  of  having  once  been 


TUE    MORROS.  17 

the  scene  of  violent  convulsions  of  nature,  judging 
from  the  distorted  masses  of  granite  and  gneiss  piled 
along  the  route.  The  morning,  though  moonless,  was 
bright  with  stars,  which  in  those  latitudes  sparkle  like 
diamonds  in  a  setting  of  azure.  The  air  was  balmy  ; 
and  the  solitude  of  the  spot,  only  broken  by  the  occa- 
sional shriek  of  a  night  owl,  or  the  refreshing  mm-mur 
of  a  mountain  stream,  was  truly  sublime. 

Slowly  winding  our  course  down  the  rugged  sides 
of  a  deep  ravine,  we  came  suddenly  in  view  of  a  most 
glorious  spectacle.  The  delicate  tints  of  dawn  were 
already  gilding  the  rugged  crest  of  the  distant  moun- 
tains ;  above  these  rose  in  silent  grandeur  what  ap- 
peared at  iii'st  a  heavy  cloud  of  an  intense  blue,  the 
irregular  outlines  of  which  set  in  bold  relief  against 
the  transparent  sky,  forming  the  background  to  the 
picture.  I  eagerly  spurred  my  mule  foi-ward  to  gain 
an  eminence  from  whence  I  could  contemplate  more 
advantageously  that  magnificent  spectacle,  when,  to 
my  great  astonishment,  I  discovered  that,  what  I  had 
supposed  a  cloud,  was  in  fact  the  famous  promontory 
known  as  the  Morros  de  San  Juan,  the  singular  con- 
formation of  which  has  given  rise  to  many  specula- 
tions and  legendary  dissertations  on  the  part  of  sa- 
vants and  others  less  versed  in  scientific  researches. 
AVhen  the  sun  rose  above  the  horizon,  a  more  extra- 
ordinary scene  was  never  unfolded  to  the  eye  of  the 
spectator.  Tlie  huge  and  rugged  mountain,  some 
thousand  feet  high,  stood  in  the  midst  of  a  desolate 
gulf,  apparently  of  volcanic  origin  ;  while  the  vege- 
tation, stunted  and  scrubby  for  want  of  adequate 
nourishment,  contrasted  singularly  with  the  granite 


18  WILD    SCENES  IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

masses  scattered  all  over  the  valley.  The  meandermg 
rivulet  of  La  Puerta,  twice  the  scene  of  sanguinary 
conflicts  between  patriots  and  Spaniards,  threaded  its 
sparkling  way  through  that  Yalley  of  Death,  to  mix 
its  waters  with  those  of  the  beautiful  Guarico  in  the 
distance.  In  both  of  tliose  engagements  the  arms  of 
Spain  were  victorious ;  but,  as  often  happened  in 
those  days  of  guerra  a  wiuerte^  the  victors  steeped 
their  laurels  in  the  blood  of  the  vanquished  with 
unsparing  hand.  These  triumphs  were  shared  alter- 
nately by  the  monster  Boves  and  the  sanguinary 
Morillo.  It  would  be  difficult  to  find  two  more 
bloody  wretches  than  these  myrmidons  of  despotism, 
whose  very  names  are  to  this  day  the  avenging  cry 
against  the  race  from  which  they  both  sprang.  The 
forces  opposed  to  them  in  these  engagements  hardly 
amounted  to  one-half  their  own  numbers ;  but  the 
patriots  under  Bolivar  accepted  the  battle  with  the 
despair  of  men  who  have  no  alternative  between 
death  and  an  ignominious  yoke.  It  is  asserted  that 
tlie  rivulet  became,  on  both  occasions,  completely 
glutted  with  the  gore  and  dead  bodies  of  the  van- 
quished. Morillo  had  a  very  narrow  escape  from  the 
lance  of  Gregorio  Monagas — celebrated  as  a  matador, 
and  for  nothing  else — who  deliberately  attacked  the 
Spanish  chieftain  in  the  midst  of  his  staff.  Although 
the  bold  Llanero  succeeded  in  piercing  the  groin  of 
the  Spaniard  with  his  lance,  the  wound  was  not  suffi- 
ciently deep  to  cause  his  death. 

Tlie  rugged  crest  of  the  mountain  surrounded  by 
an    atmosphere  resplcndently   clear,    the   wild   and 


THE    MORKOS. 


19 


shattered  rocks,  piled  like  the  giant  skeletons  of  an 
extinct  race,  together  with  the  painful  associations 
connected  with  the  spot,  made  an  impression  upon 
my  mind  not  easily  forgotten. 

Although  I  had  often  experienced  a  keen  desire 
to  see  this  natural  wonder  of  my  country,  I  could  not 
repress  a  feeling  of  regret  at  the  recollection  of  the 
sanguinary  scenes  enacted  on  this  spot,  and  tliat  my 
first  impressions  of  astonishment  should  be  replaced 
by  others  of  a  less  pleasing  character. 

On  awakening  from  the  reverie  into  which  the 
scene  had  plunged  me,  I  perceived  for  the  first  time 
that  I  was  alone,  my  less  contemplative  companions 
having  proceeded  on  their  journey  while  I  was  ab- 
sorbed in  wonder.  I  felt  glad  of  my  solitude,  for  the 
very  silence  seemed  to  breathe  a  prayer  to  the  Al- 
mighty for  the  martyred  children  of  Liberty  before 
one  of  his  most  glorious  temples. 


20  WILD   SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

We  reached  the  village  of  San  Juan  in  time  to 
breakfast  at  the  house  of  our  excellent  friend  Don 
Jose  Pulido,  a  gentleman  of  most  amiable  and  hospi- 
table disposition.  While  they  prepared  our  morning 
meal,  I  repaired  to  the  outskirts  of  the  village  to 
sketch  the  Morros,  which  from  the  distance  appeared 
two  huge  castles  in  ruins.  The  continued  action  of  the 
waters  has  furrowed  the  sides  of  the  mountain — com- 
posed principally  of  a  peculiar  limestone — into  many 
fantastic  forms.  The  same  wearing  action  has  in  like 
manner  perforated  the  calcareous  rock  into  a  thousand 
subterranean  passages  or  chasms  of  fathomless  depth,  it 
being  asserted  by  persons  who  have  approached  suffi- 
ciently near  the  entrance  of  these  caves,  that  a  bowl- 
der rolled  down  the  abyss,  is  never  heard  to  strike 
the  bottom.  I  regretted  exceedingly  that  our  short 
stay  at  this  place  would  not  permit  me  to  visit  the 
interior  of  the  main  entrance  to  these  subterranean 
passages,  no  person  ever  having  ventured  within  the 
dark  abode — as  it  is  currently  believed — of  demons 
and  the  like.  As  a  proof  of  this  assertion,  the  villa- 
gers point  out  to  the  inquisitive  traveller  a  spring 
issuing  from  that  Tartarus  highly  charged  with  sul- 
phurated hydrogen  gas,  the  fumes  of  which  are  in 
themselves  sufficiently  powerful  to  convey  the  idea 
that  something  diabolical  must  be  brewing  in  the 
bowels  of  the  stupendous  mountain.  The  spring, 
Iiowever,  possesses  highly  medicinal  virtues ;  on  this 
account  it  is  often  visited  by  invalids  from  various 
parts  of  the  country,  especially  those  affected  with 
rheumatic  or  scrofulous  complaints. 

During  a  heavy  freshet,  the  bones  of  an  antedi- 


THE    MORROS.  21 

luvian  animal,  supposed  to  be  those  of  a  mastodon, 
were  disinterred  by  the  torrent  in  the  bed  of  a  ravine. 
A  portion  of  these  bones  were  sent  to  us  by  our  zeal- 
ous friend  Don  Jose,  as  a  great  curiosity ;  as  such 
they  were  transferred  to  the  British  Minister  at  Ca- 
racas, and  finally  consigned  by  him  to  the  great 
Museum  in  London. 

The  village  of  San  Juan  is  likewise  noted  for  its 
fine  climate  and  the  total  absence  of  epidemics.  In- 
valids affected  with  pulmonary  complaints  find  there 
also  an  air  and  temperature  most  congenial.  Beyond 
these  advantages,  San  Juan  offers  no  other  attrac- 
tions to  the  stranger  capable  of  inducing  a  longer 
sojourn  than  is  absolutely  necessary,  as  not  even  a 
ranch  has  been  raised  there  for  the  convenience  of 
those  seeking  its  beneficent  waters. 

'  After  partaking  of  a  substantial  breakfast,  com- 
posed of  the  most  popular  dishes  of  the  country,  such 
as  carnefrita^  sancocho^  and  some  delicious  fish  from 
the  river  Guarico,  we  bade  adieu  to  our  estimable 
host,  Don  Jose,  and  continued  our  journey  down  the 
stony  bottom  of  a  narrow  quebrada  or  ravine,  noted 
for  its  many  windings,  and  the  quantities  of  sharp 
stones  that  pave  the  way  ;  these  are  evidently  the 
detached  fragments  of  the  basaltic  formation  consti- 
tuting the  base  of  the  Morros.  At  Flores,  a  miser- 
able country  inn  like  all  the  rest  along  this  route,  we 
stopped  a  few  moments  to  refresh  ourselves  with 
guarajpo^  a  kind  of  cider  made  from  the  juice  of  sugar 
cane,  or  by  dissolving  papelon  in  water  and  allowing 
it  to  ferment  for  a  few  days.  The  guarapo  of  Flores 
is  celebrated  throughout  the  country,  and  no  person 


22  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

passing  through  this  place  ever  omits  to  call  for  it. 
When  mixed  with  aguardiente,  it  forms  what  is 
termed  carahina^  (carbine ;)  the  effects  rarely  fail  to 
knock  down  those  who  rashly  brave  its  fire. 

Our  next  stopping  place  was  the  village  of  Ortiz, 
a  little  beyond  that  of  Parapara.  Taken  together, 
they  might  be  considered  as  the  Pillars  of  Her- 
cules to  the  grassy  Mediterranean  of  the  Llanos,  and 
the  terminus  of  civilized  pursuits  in  that  quarter,  as 
there  you  find  the  last  vestiges  of  agriculture  and  the 
useful  arts.  In  addition  to  small  patches  of  sugar 
cane  and  Indian  corn  raised  by  the  inhabitants  for 
their  own  consumj)tion,  they  excel  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  leather,  saddles,  and  their  appurtenances, 
which  they  sell  to  all  parts  of  the  country.  Beyond 
this,  nothing  is  to  be  met  with  but  wild  herds  of  , 
cattle  grazing  on  prairies  or  steppes  of  vast  extent, 
with  the  exception  of  the  narrow  belt  of  park-like 
scenery  intervening  between  these  and  a  ridge  of  low, 
rocky  hills — galeras — which  skirts  the  ancient  shore 
of  the  great  basin  of  those  pampas.  Tlie  galeras  were 
doubtless  the  natural  rampart  of  that  extraordinary 
body  of  waters  which,  at  some  remote  epoch,  must 
have  filled  the  space  now  forming  the  grazing 
grounds  of  Venezuela,  as  attested  by  the  nature  of 
the  soil  and  the  organic  remains  found  imbedded  in 
the  clay. 

I  noticed  at  Ortiz  the  same  trap  formation  of  the 
Morros,  with  extensive  beds  of  basaltic  slate  protrud- 
ing through  the  sides  of  the  hills.  Entire  columns 
of  this  slate,  varying  from  four  to  five  feet  in  length 
by  six  inches  diameter,  are  used  in  the  village  for 


THE  MORROS.  23 

paving  tlie  thresholds  of  houses,  their  quadrangular 
form  adapting  them  perfectly  for  this  purpose  with- 
out any  additional  labor  after  being  detached  from 
the  rock.  The  action  of  the  waters  during  the  untold 
lapse  of  ages,  or  perhaps  the  irruptions  of  the  sea  it- 
self when  it  beat  against  the  sides  of  the  hills,  has 
caused  the  partial  disintegration  of  the  rock  in  many 
places,  and  scattered  the  debris  far  and  wide  over 
the  surrounding  country.  Nevertheless,  vegetation 
seemed  nowhere  affected  in  the  least  by  this  vast  ac- 
cumulation of  loose  stones ;  on  the  contrary,  wher- 
ever it  was  favored  by  the  depressions  of  the  ground, 
trees  of  large  dimensions,  noted  for  hardness  and  du- 
rability, sprang  up,  forming  dense  forests  on  either 
side  of  the  road.  Foremost  in  the  long  catalogue  of 
splendid  timber  trees  of  Venezuela,  we  found  there 
growing  in  great  perfection  the  F^7'<z,  or  Lignum 
Yitse — Zigophylum  arboreum — the  wood  of  which  is 
so  hard  that  it  turns  the  edge  of  the  best-tempered 
tools ;  breaking  or  splitting  it  seems  equally  impos- 
sible, on  account  of  the  interweaving  of  its  fibres, 
which  cross  each  other  in  diagonal  layers.  This  tree 
has  a  wide  range  over  the  country,  especially  near 
the  sea-coast,  which  circumstance  renders  it  extremely 
useful  in  the  construction  of  wharves,  as  well  as  for 
the  keels  of  ships ;  the  attacks  of  the  teredo  or  sea- 
worm  are  futile  upon  the  iron  network  of  its  fibres, 
,on  which  account  it  can  remain  under  water  for  an 
indefinite  period  and  eventually  become  petrified. 
Tlie  useful  Guayacan  or  guaiacum  of  the  arts,  a  nearly 
allied  species  of  this  tree,  is  also  found  here  in  the 
greatest  abundance  ;  unfortunately  it  is  too  short  to  be 


24  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

employed  for  the  same  purposes  as  the  former ;  it 
finds,  however,  numerous  applications  in  naval  con- 
struction, especially  for  blocks  and  pulleys  for  the 
rigging  of  vessels.  Turners  employ  it  likewise  for 
various  articles  requiring  extreme  hardness  and  a 
close  grain. 

The  Alcornoque^  a  most  beautiful  tree,  somewhat 
resembling  the  American  elm,  and  scarcely  inferior 
to  the  foregoing,  raises  here  its  graceful  head  above 
the  rest,  affording  the  cattle  a  permanent  shade  even 
during  the  driest  seasons.  It  must  not  be  confounded, 
however,  with  the  well-known  Spanish  oak — Quercus 
suber — which  yields  the  cork  of  commerce.  It  is 
largely  employed  in  the  Llanos  in  the  construction  of 
houses  and  fences.  Brazil etto  wood — Cesalpinia  bra- 
ziletto — so  celebrated  for  its  beautiful  dye,  is  so  abun- 
dant here  also,  that  all  the  fences  at  Ortiz  and  Para- 
para  are  made  of  this  valuable  dyewood. 

The  list  of  useful  trees  peculiar  to  this  region 
could  be  extended  beyond  the  limits  of  this  chapter, 
were  it  not  for  the  fear  of  taxing  the  patience  of  my 
reader  with  an  abstract  nomenclature.  I  cannot  pass 
unnoticed,  however,  two  other  trees  of  no  less  impor- 
tance to  the  natives,  on  account  of  their  timber  and 
medicinal  properties ;  these  are  the  Tacamahaca — 
Elaphrium  tomentosum — and  the  tree  that  yields  the 
precious  balsam  of  copaiva — Copaifera  officinalis.  By 
making  incisions  in  the  trunk  and  branches  of  both 
these  trees,  a  resinous  fluid,  possessing  great  healing 
powers  when  applied  to  wounds  and  other  ailments 
of  the  flesh,  is  obtained  i^  great  abundance  and  col- 
lected in  tin  cans  placed  under  the  incisions.     The 


THE    MORROS.  25 

former  is  particularly  abundant  in  the  province  of 
Guayana,  wliere  it  attains  to  great  dimensions.  Its 
resin,  an  opaque,  lemon-colored  substance  resembling- 
wax,  is  very  fragrant,  and  when  mixed  with  that  of 
Carana  or  Algarroha,  forms  excellent  torches  which 
burn  with  great  brilliancy,  and  emit  a  delicious  odor. 
Tlie  bark  is  also  remarkable  as  aifording  a  material 
similar  to  that  employed  by  the  North  American  In- 
dians in  the  construction  of  their  canoes,  and  used 
similarly  by  their  brethren  of  the  Orinoco  for  their 
light  pirogues.  With  this  object  the  Indian  separates 
the  bark  without  breaking,  and  cutting  it  of  the  re- 
quired dimensions,  proceeds  to  join  the  extremities 
by  means  of  hejucos  or  slender  vines,  filling  the  inter- 
stices with  a  little  moist  clay  to  throw  off  the  water ; 
the  whole  is  then  well  bound  with  stronger  vines, 
and  a  couple  or  more  sticks  are  affixed  between  the 
borders  of  the  pirogue  to  prevent  its  collapsing 
when  launched  into  the  broad  stream. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE       LLANOS. 

We  left  Ortiz  as  iisnal,  very  earlj  the  next  morn- 
ing, stumbling  here  and  there  amidst  the  mass  of  loose 
stones  which  paved  the  way  all  along  the  winding 
bed  of  the  quebrada.  In  proportion  as  we  advanced 
on  our  route,  the  hills  decreased  in  size,  while  the 
loose  stones  seemed  to  increase  in  quantity.  The 
splendid  groves  of  hardy  and  balsamiferous  trees, 
which  near  Ortiz  formed  an  almost  impenetrable  for- 
est, gradually  became  less  imposing  in  appearance, 
until  they  were  replaced  by  thickets  of  thorny  bushes, 
chiefly  composed  of  several  species  of  mimosas,  with 
a  delicate  and  feathery  foliage.  The  traveller  accus- 
tomed to  the  shade  of  a  luxuriant  vegetation,  and  to 
the  sight  of  cultivated  valleys,  is  struck  by  the  rapid 
diminution  of  the  former,  and  the  total  disappearance 
of  the  latter,  as  he  emerges  from  the  Galeras  of  Ortiz : 
yet  he  is  somewhat  compensated  by  the  almost  over- 
powering jp^r/wm^  shed  by  masses  of  the  canary-colored 
blossoms  with  which  these  shrubs  are  loaded,  from  the 


THE   LLANOS.  27 

summits  down  to  the  bending  branches  that  trail  the 
ground  at  every  passing  breeze. 

Suddenly  we  entered  a  widely-extended  tract  of 
level  land  almost  destitute  of  vegetation.  With  the 
exception  of  a  few  clumps  of  palm-trees  with  fan-like 
leaves,  nothing  but  short  grass  covered  its  entire  sur- 
face, almost  realizing  the  idea  of  "an  ocean  covered 
with  sea-weed."  A  dense  mass  of  vapor  pervading 
the  atmosphere  obscured  the  horizon,  while  the  fan- 
palms,  seen  from  afar,  appeared  like  ships  enveloped 
in  a  fog.  Gradually  the  circle  of  the  heavens  seemed 
to  close  around  us,  until  we  became,  as  it  were,  en- 
compassed by  the  sky.  We  were,  in  fact,  treading 
the  shores  of  the  great  basin  of  the  Llanos,  over  one 
of  the  ancient  shoals  or  Ifesas,  which,  like  successive 
terraces,  now  form  the  borders  of  those  grassy  oceans 
known  as  the  Pampas.  Tliis  was  the  Mesa  de  Paya, 
the  seat  of  one  of  the  cattle-farms  to  which  we  were 
bound. 

After  wandering  for  nearly  three  hours  over 
this  monotonous  landscape  without  compass,  and 
guided  only  by  certain  landmarks  known  to  the 
vaquemios,  we  came  unexpectedly  upon  the  borders 
of  the  Mesa,  w^hich  commands  an  extensive  view  of 
the  lower  savannas.  As  if  by  magic  the  dreary  scene 
changed  to  one  of  the  most  glorious  panoramas  in 
existence.  At  our  feet  lay  a  beautiful  expanse  of 
meadow,  fresh  and  smooth  as  the  best  cultivated 
lawn,  with  troops  of  horses  and  countless  herds  of 
cattle  dispersed  all  over  the  plain.  Several  glitter- 
ing ponds,  alive  with  all  varieties  of  aquatic  birds, 
reflected  upon  their  limpid  surface  the  broad-leaved 


28  WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

crowns  of  the  fan-palms,  towering  above  verdant 
groves  of  laurel,  amyris,  and  elm-like  r obits.  Further 
beyond,  and  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  the  undu- 
lating plain  appeared  like  a  petrified  ocean,  after  the 
sweeping  tempest. 

But  I  feel  that  my  descriptions  fall  short  of  the 
reality,  and  that  I  am  unable  to  depict  the  harmo- 
nious effects  of  light  and  shade,  and  the  blending  of 
the  various  tints  of  green,  blue  and  purple,  dispersed 
over  this  extensive  panorama  ;  the  gentle  undulations 
of  the  plain  ;  the  towering  palms  gracefully  fanning 
the  glowing  atmosphere  with  their  majestic  crowns 
of  broad  and  shining  leaves  ;  and  myriad  other  beau- 
ties difficult  to  enumerate. 

I  could  scarcely  tear  myself  away  from  the  spot, 
so  ftiscinated  was  I  with  the  novelty  of  the  scene. 
My  companions,  more  concerned  for  the  speedy  termi- 
nation of  the  journey  than  the  beautiful  in  nature, 
set  off  at  a  brisk  trot  towards  the  house,  which  was 
at  no  great  distance.  Fearing  to  lose  my  way  among 
the  intricate  paths  leading  to  it,  I  was  compelled  to 
follow  in  their  wake,  stopping  occasionally  to  gaze 
once  more  upon  those  enchanting  groves,  which 
seemed  to  return  me  to  tlie  highly  cultivated  fields 
and  green  meadows  of  glorious  "  Old  England,"  from 
whence  I  had  just  returned. 

On  descending  to  the  plain  below,  my  attention 
was  attracted  to  an  unsightly  group  of  palm-thatched 
Imts,  looking  more  like  huge  bee-hives  than  the 
abode  of  human  beings.  A  formidable  fence  of  palm 
trunks  surrounded  the  premises,  and  several  acres  of 
ground  beyond.    These  were  the  corrals^  or  enclosures 


THE    LLANOS.  29 

where  the  training  of  the  fierce  herds  was  practised 
by  the  hardy  dwellers  of  the  Llanos  ;  but  no  signs  of 
cultivation,  or  aught  else  connected  with  the  rural 
occupations  of  the  farmer,  were  visible  in  the  neigh- 
boriiood.  Presently  the  cavalcade  stopped  before  the 
gate,  and  all  the  individuals  composing  it  dismounted 
and  began  to  unsaddle  their  horses  amidst  the  bark- 
ing of  a  legion  of  dogs,  and  the  braying  of  all  the 
donkeys  in  the  vicinity. 

This  was  the  hato  or  cattle-farm  of  San  Pablo  we 
were  in  quest  of,  famous  in  the  annals  of  the  civil 
wars  in  Venezuela,  as  the  occasional  head-quarters 
of  the  constitutional  armies,  commanded  by  the  owner 
of  this  farm.  Our  leader  was  received  at  the  entrance 
of  his  estate,  by  a  grave  and  elderly  negro  slave,  who 
acted  as  overseer,  and  had  under  his  control  all  the 
men  and  property  attached  to  it.  Kneeling  upon  the 
stony  court-yard,  he  kissed  the  hand  extended  to  him 
in  friendly  greeting,  after  wliich  he  proceeded  to  un- 
saddle his  master's  horse,  which  he  led  to  a  pond 
within  the  enclosure,  where  the  horses  were  watered. 

"We  purposed  remaining  a  few  days  at  San  Pablo, 
with  tlie  object  of  incorporating  some  fresh  relays  of 
mules  and  horses  from  the  abundant  stock  of  this 
estate :  so  we  of  the  stafiT  installed  ourselves  under  the 
palm-roof  of  our  rustic  mansion,  while  the  rank  and 
file  of  the  expedition  found  accommodation  in  the 
open  barracoons  adjoining  it ;  although  none  of  the 
party  had  reason  to  boast  of  being  better  off  than 
their  neighbor. 

"  It  is  sad  when  pleasing  first  impressions  are 
obliterated,"  remarks  a  sentimental  writer ;  "  always 


30  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

painful  to  become  desenchante  on  a  more  intimate  ac- 
q  uaintance  with  either  people  or  places."  I  soon  found 
that  I  was  not  in  the  fairy  land  I  had  imagined,  abound- 
ing in  grottos  and  refreshed  by  sparkling  fountains, 
but  in  the  region  of  the  Llanos  where  the  French  adage, 
chacun  jpour  sol  et  Dieu  pour  tous^  is  verified  to  its 
tuilest  extent.  San  Pablo,  with  its  vaunted  prestige, 
and  in  spite  of  its  proximity  to  several  important 
marts,  was  no  better  provided  with  accommodations 
than  the  untidy  douar  of  the  wandering  Arab  of  the 
Desert.  A  rickety  table  standing  against  the  wall 
for  fear  of  tumbling  down,  two  or  three  clumsy  cedar 
chairs  covered  with  raw-hide,  and  a  couple  of  grass 
hammocks,  serving  the  double  purpose  of  beds  and 
lounges,  constituted  all  the  furniture  of  the  great 
farm.  As  a  substitute  for  wardrobes  and  hat-stands, 
we  vvere  shown  a  number  of  deer-antlers  and  bull- 
horns imbedded  in  the  walls  of  reeds  and  mud,  on 
which  to  hang  our  pouches,  bridles,  &c.  I  searched  in 
vain,  on.  our  arrival,  for  something  like  a  bowl  in 
which  to  lave  my  hands  and  face,  covered  with  dust 
and  parched  by  the  broiling  sun  of  the  savannas. 
Even  water  was  so  scarce  that  it  was  served  to  us 
sparingly  from  a  large  calabash  gourd  used  in  bring- 
ing it  from  the  river,  nearly  a  mile  distant.  It  is  true 
there  was,  within  the  enclosure  of  the  houses,  a  pond 
or  excavation,  made  while  searching  for  the  remains 
of  a  brave  oiScer  who  fell  fighting  for  his  country's 
freedom.  Sufficient  water  had  accumulated  there 
during  the  rainy  season  to  entitle  it  to  the  name  of 
Laguna^  or  Lake  of  Genaro  Yazquez,  the  name  of 
the  afore-mentioned  hero ;  but  it  was  so  filled  with 


THE    LLANOS.  ^l 

Bavas — a  small  species  of  alligator, — terrapins,  and 
toads,  as  to  render  the  water  undrinkable. 

But  to  return  to  our  head-quarters,  the  structure 
of  which  struck  me  so  forcibly  at  first  as  a  bee-hive 
of  vast  proportions,  naturally  suggesting  the  idea  of  a 
"land  of  milk  and  honey."  Unfortunately  neither 
of  these  could  be  obtained  either  for  love  or  money, 
although  the  woods  and  pastures  of  the  estate 
abounded  in  both  the  creatures  that  produced  them. 
So  we  were  compelled  to  resort  to  our  reserved  stock 
of  papelon  to  sweeten  our  coffee,  and  to  its  ow^n  de- 
licious natural  aroma  in  the  place  of  milk.  As  to 
the  house  itself,  it  only  differed  from  the  rest  in  that 
region  in  being  larger,  and  perhaps  in  better  order 
than  are  the  generality.  Imagine  a  pyramidal  struc- 
ture, thatched  with  palm  leaves,  the  roof  slanting  to 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  ground,  and  supported  on  stout 
posts  of  live  timber,  wliich  served  also  as  framework 
for  the  walls,  and  you  will  have  some  idea  of  the  style 
of  architecture  peculiar  to  the  country.  Doors  and  win- 
dows are  of  no  account  in  a  country  uniformly  warm 
throughout  the  year,  and  where  the  inhabitants  pos- 
sess few  articles  capable  of  tempting  the  cupidity  of 
light-fingered  gentry.  Therefore,  an  ox-hide  stretched 
across  the  openings  left  in  the  walls  to  admit  light  and 
the  inmates,  is  all  that  is  required  to  keep  off  unin- 
vited guests.  As  an  exception  to  this  rule,  our  man- 
sion of  San  Pablo  had  one  or  two  rooms  set  apart  for 
invalids,  provided  with  doors  and  windows  of  solid 
planks  of  timber  in  the  rough  ;  the  other  apartments 
had  the  upper  lialf  of  the  walls  purposely  left  open, 
to  admit  full  and  free  entrance  of  light  and  air.     A 


32  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

narrow  piazza  or  corridor,  formed  by  the  slanting  of 
the  roof  to  within  five  feet  of  the  ground,  ran  along  the 
entire  length  of  the  main  building,  and  was  intended 
more  as  a  protection  to  tlie  rooms  against  the  sun  and 
rains,  than  as  a  resort  for  the  inmates. 

The  first  step,  on  arriving,  was  to  secure  a  place  in 
the  open  reception  room,  for  my  own  chattels  and 
hammock,  before  all  the  spare  posts  and  hooks  had 
been  appropriated  by  my  companions.  This  accom- 
plished, I  proceeded  to  a  thorough  examination  of  my 
saddle  and  its  accoutrements,  so  as  to  have  them 
adapted  to  the  peculiar  mode  of  travelling  in  the 
Llanos.  This  care  I  left  to  the  good  judgment  of  our 
attendants,  not  being  myself  sufficiently  skilled  in  the 
art  of  mending,  greasing,  and  putting  in  order  the 
complicated  gear  of  our  riding  equipment.  In  the 
same  predicament  were  also  my  two  English  com- 
panions, and  our  worthy  doctor ;  a  kind  word,  how- 
ever, addressed  to  the  good-natured  Llaneros — espe- 
cially if  accompanied  with  a  drop  of  aguardiente — 
never  failed  of  enlisting  their  services  in  our  favor. 

Habit,  as  well  as  necessity,  is  sometimes  the 
mother  of  invention,  as  my  experience  soon  taught 
me  that,  to  get  along  in  my  new  quarters,  it  would  be 
re(|uisite  to  set  aside  the  airs  and  insignia  of  civiliza- 
tion. Divesting  myself,  therefore,  of  all  such  super- 
fluities as  coat,  cravat,  pants,  and  shoes,  I  adopted  the 
less  cumbrous  attire  of  the  Llaneros,  consisting  mainly 
of  breeches  tightly  buttoned  at  the  knee,  and  a  loose 
shirt,  usually  of  a  bright  checkered  pattern.  Shoes 
are  altogether  dispensed  with  in  a  country  like  the 
Llanos,  subject  to  drenching  rains,  and  covered  with 


THE   LLANOS.  33 

mud  during  a  great  portion  of  the  year,  "besides  tlie 
inconvenience  tliey  ofter  to  the  rider  in  holding  the 
stirrup  securely  when  in  chase  of  wild  animals.  The 
leg,  however,  is  well  protected  from  the  thorns  and 
cutting  grass  of  the  savannas  by  a  neat  legging  or 
hothi^  made  of  buffskin,  tightly  buttoned  dowm  the 
calf  by  knobs  or  studs  of  highly  polished  silver. 
Another  characteristic  article  of  dress,  and  one  in 
which  the  wearers  take  great  pride,  is  the  linen  check- 
ered handkerchief,  loosely  worn  around  the  head.  Its 
object  is  ostensibly  to  protect  it  from  the  intensity  of 
the  sun's  rays  ;  but  the  constant  habit  of  wearing  it 
has  rendered  the  handkerchief  as  indispensable  a  head- 
dress to  the  Llaneros  as  is  the  cravat  to  the  neck  of 
the  city  gentleman. 

One  angle  of  the  building  was  devoted  to  the 
kitchen,  and  rooms  for  the  overseer  and  his  family ; 
the  other  was  set  apart  for  a  store-room,  suggesting 
hidden  treasures  of  good  things  for  the  comfort  of  the 
inner  man.  Being  naturally  inquisitive,  I  lost  no 
time  in  investigating  the  contents  of  the  hodega  /  but 
instead  of  sweetmeats,  fresh  cheese,  or  even  bread 
and  butter, — articles  of  easy  manufacture  in  the 
Llanos,  on  wdiich  I  had  feasted  my  imagination, — I 
found  the  place  filled  with  roaches,  pack-saddles,  old 
bridles,  lazos,  and  tasajo  or  jerked  beef.  This  last  is 
prepared  by  cutting  fresh  beef  into  long  strij)s,  and 
exposing  them  to  dry  in  the  sun,  first  rubbing  them 
tliorougldy  with  salt.  Animal  substances  spoil  so 
readily  in  tropical  climates,  that  unless  this  precau- 
tion is  taken  immediately  after  a  bullock  is  slaughter- 
ed, the  meat  becomes  tainted  in  a  short  time.  Two 
2* 


34  WILD    SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

or  three  days'  exposure  to  the  hot  sun  of  the  Llanos, 
is  sufficient  to  render  the  beef  as  dry  and  tough  as 
leather ;  in  this  state,  it  may  be  stored  away  for  six 
months  without  spoiling.  The  older  the  better  ;  age 
imparting  to  it  that  peculiar  rank  flavor  which  makes 
tasajo  so  highly  prized  by  people  of  all  ranks  in  Cuba 
and  other  West  India  Islands.  Large  shipments  of 
this  beef  have  been  made  from  Yenezuela  to  those 
places  ;  but  the  competition  of  Buenos  Ayres  has  re- 
duced of  late  the  profits  arising  from  this  branch  of 
our  exports.  The  manner  of  killing  and  quartering  an 
animal  in  the  Llanos  deserves  particular  mention. 
The  cattle  being  usually  some  distance  from  the  house, 
two  horsemen  are  despatched  after  the  victim  ;  one 
of  them  gallops  close  ta  the  animal's  rear,  and  throw- 
ing his  unerring  lazo  at  its  head,  drags  it  along,  while 
his  companion  urges  it  on  by  means  of  his  garrocha 
or  goad,  until  they  reach  the  sacrificial  post :  one  or 
two  turns  of  the  lazo  around  this,  bring  the  animal 
close  to  the  'botalon  *  the  matador  then  plunges  the 
point  of  his  dagger  into  the  vertebrae  back  of  the  head, 
and  the  struggling  beast  drops  as  if  struck  by  an  elec- 
tric spark  ;  a  second  thrust  of  the  bloody  dagger  into 
his  throat  severs  the  artery,  and  the  blood  gushes  in 
torrents  through  the  wound  from  every  part  of  his 
body.  The  prostrate  victim  is  now  turned  upon  its 
back,  and  a  iong  incision  made  lengthwise  of  the 
belly,  preparatory  to  flaying  and  cutting  up  the  car- 
cass. When  the  animal  is  not  intended  to  be  imme- 
diately slaughtered,  he  is  tied  to  the  post  by  a  succes- 
sion of  coils  from  the  lazo  around  his  horns,  and  left 
there  until  the  fatal  moment  comes  to  despatch  him. 


THE    LLANOS.  35 

One  night  I  was  awakened  by  a  terrific  bellowing 
proceeding  from  the  hotalon  ^  but,  as  I  knew  there  was 
no  bullock  there  for  slaughter  at  the  moment,  I  was  at 
a  loss  how  to  account  for  this  uproarious  serenade. 
Curiosity  led  me  to  inquire  into  the  cause,  and  direct- 
ing my  steps  towards  the  spot,  I  beheld  a  group  of 
about  a  dozen  bulls,  smelling  at  the  blood  of  their 
former  companions,  and  ploughing  u]3  the  gore  with 
their  hoofs,  evidently  in  great  distress.  Tliis  continued 
for  some  time,  until,  finding  their  bewailing  by  moon- 
light rather  too  touching  even  for  artists'  ears,  we  or- 
dered them  to  be  driven  away,  in  spite  of  the  sublimity 
of  the  scene.  I  had  other  opportunities  of  witnessing 
similar  testimonials  of  respect,  whenever  a  herd  of  cat- 
tle approached  the  place  of  execution,  which  never 
failed  to  impress  me  deeply  with  a  feeling  of  compas- 
sion for  their  sorrows. 

Every  morning  an  animal  was  slaughtered  for  us. 
Our  meals  consisted  of  roast  beef,  without  either  vege- 
tables or  wheaten  bread.  Indian  corn  we  had  in  abun- 
dance, both  in  the  grain  and  in  the  husk  ;  but  before 
it  could  be  converted  into  arepas — the  favorite  bread 
of  the  country — it  required  to  be  passed  through  a 
variety  of  operations  each  day,  which  made  the  pro- 
cess rather  tedious,  as  the  grain  must  first  be  hulled 
by  pounding  it  in  large  wooden  mortars,  adding  a 
handful  of  sand  and  a  little  water :  next  tlie  grain  must 
be  separated  fyom  the  chafif,  thoroughly  washed,  and 
then  boiled  over  a  slow  fire.  In  doing  this,  care  must 
be  used,  for  if  too  soft  it  will  not  answer  the  purpose. 
Finally  it  is  ground  to  a  paste  between  two  stones, 
formed  into  flat  cakes,  and  baked  in  shallow  pans  of 


36  ,  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

earthenware.  The  result  of  all  this  labor  is  bread 
exceedingly  white  and  nourishing  ;  but  it  has  the  dis- 
advantage of  becoming  tough  and  unpalatable  when 
cold.  Under  the  popular  name  of  tortillas^  this  bread 
is  also  extensively  used  in  Mexico  and  Central  Amer- 
ica, although  inferior  to  our  own. 


Even  this  was  considered  a  great  luxury  at  San 
Pablo,  few  other  cattle-farms  being  provided  with  the 
necessary  utensils  for  its  manufacture,  and  still  fewer 
the  number  of  those  that  will  grow  sufficient  com  for 
the  consumpfton  of  their  inmates.  The  Llaneros  are 
essentially  a  pastoral  people,  and  trouble  themselves 
but  little  with  the  cultivation  of  the  land,  considering 
it  rather  derogatory  to  bend  their  heads,  even  to 
mother  Earth.  Hence  their  homes  are  usually  in  a 
state  of  utter  wretchedness,  being  unprovided  even 


THE   LLANOS.  37 

with  the  commonest  necessaries.  Although  the  land 
is  extremely  fertile,  and  would  well  repay  the  labor 
with  abundant  crops  of  every  kind  of  grain,  tliey  do 
not  consider  bread  an  essential,  using  instead  a  piece 
of  boiled  liver,  which  in  their  estimation  answers  just 
as  well.  Therefore  the  divine  command,  which  en- 
joins us  to  earn  our  daily  bread  by  the  sweat  of  the 
brow,  is  not  much  regarded  by  them.  In  the  midst 
of  countless  herds,  and  surrounded  with  the  most 
munificent  gifts  of  a  bountiful  Providence,  they  are 
often  even  without  fresh  meat ;  not  because  they  are 
sparing  of  their  cattle,  which  in  that  country  bears  a 
nominal  value,  but  because  they  are  naturally  abste- 
mious ;  and  as  for  milk  and  butter,  they  despise  both 
as  food  only  fit  for  children.  Cheese,  however,  is  a 
favorite  article  of  food  with  them,  and  in  its  prepara- 
tion, they  display  considerable  ability,  especially  the 
delicious  kind  termed  queso  de  manos^  a  species  of 
boiled  cheese.  As  some  of  my  readers  may  wish  to 
experiment  in  making  it,  I  will  give  them  the  recipe. 
Curd  the  milk  in  the  usual  way,  and  boil  the  curd  in 
its  own  whey.  When  about  the  consistency  of  mo- 
lasses candy,  stretch  it  out  repeatedly  with  the  hands 
until  cold.  Add  a  little  salt  to  the  mass  ;  roll  it  into 
flat  cakes,  and  hang  the  cheese  to  drain  in  nets  sus- 
pended from  the  ceiling.  When  pulled,  it  will  sepa- 
rate in  layers  which  look  like  parchment,  retaining 
all  the  flavor  of  the  milk. 

The  cows,  being  half  wild  in  most  cases,  require  to 
be  milked  by  main  force.  To  accomplish  this,  one 
of  the  dairymen  throws  a  noose  around  the  liorns  of 
the  animal,  and  holds  it  secure  by  means  of  a  long 


'58  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

pole  attached  to  the  thong,  while  another  proceeds  to 
milk  it  in  the  usual  way  ;  but  none  will  yield  a  drop, 
unless  the  calf  is  first  allowed  to  suck  a  little,  and 
then  tied  to  the  mother's  knee. 

Every  cow  is  distinguished  by  a  fancy  name,  such 
as  Clavellina,  Flor  del  Campo,  Marabilla,  and  others 
equally  euphonious  and  poetical.  When  called  to  be 
milked,  the  tame  ones  immediately  answer  in  sup- 
pressed bellowings,  and  come  forward  of  their  own  ac- 
cord, while  the  calves  confined  in  the  pen,  on  hearing 
their  mothers'  names,  run  along  the  fence  in  search  of 
the  gate ;  a  boy,  stationed  there  for  the  purpose,  lets 
fall  one  of  the  bars,  and  off  they  bound  after  the 
mothers. 

The  men  perform  there  altogether  the  occupations 
allotted  to  women  in  other  countries,  such  as  milking 
the  cows,  cnrding  the  milk,  and  turning  out  the  cheese 
when  ready.  They  do  not  even  disdain  cooking  their 
own  food,  and  washing  their  own  garments,  when 
occasion  requires.  Of  the  women,  I  may  be  permit- 
ted to  quote  here  what  Sir  Francis  Head,  in  his  quaint 
style,  says  with  reference  to  those  in  the  Pampas  of 
Buenos  Ayres,  as  being  equally  applicable  to  their 
sisters  of  the  Llanos :  "  The  habits  of  the  women  are 
very  curious :  they  have  literally  nothing  to  do.  the 
great  plains  which  surround  them  offer  no  motive  to 
work,  tliey  seldom  ride,  and  their  lives  certainly  are 
very  indolent  and  inactive.  They  all  have  families, 
however,  whether  married  or  not ;  and  once  when  I 
inquired  of  a  young  woman  employed  in  nursing  a 
very  pretty  child,  who  was  the  father  of  the  '  cria- 
t.ura,'  she  replied  '  Quien  sabe  ? ' "  * 

*  Journeys  across  the  Pampas. 


THE   LLANOS.  39 

But  it  is  time  to  introduce  my  reader  to  a  more 
intimate  acquaintance  with,  this  singular  race  of  peo- 
ple, whose  manliness,  bravery,  and  skill  in  waging  a 
constant  war,  not  only  with  the  wild  animals  of  the 
field,  but  against  the  proud  legions  of  Iberia,  entitle 
them  to  a  place  among  the  heroes  of  the  earth. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE   LLANEEOS. 


'  Dichoso  aquel  que  alcanza 
Como  rico  don  del  Cielo, 
Para  defender  su  suelo 
£aen  caballo  7  buena  lanza.^' 

— Aeolas. 


The  people  inhabiting  the  vast  region  of  the 
Llanos,  although  claiming  descent  from  the  old  Cas- 
tilian  race,  once  the  rulers  of  the  land,  are,  in  fact,  an 
amalgamation  of  the,  various  castes  composing  the 
present  population,  of  the  Eepublic.  These  are,  the 
whites,  or  the  descendants  of  the  European  settlers  of 
the  country ;  the  aboriginals  or  Indians,  and  a  great 
proportion  of  blacks.  In  most  of  the  towns  the  native 
whites  preponderate  over  all  others,  and  represent 
the  wealth,  as  well  as  the  most  respectable  portion 
of  the  community  ;  in  the  villages  and  thinly  popu- 
lated districts  of  the  plains,  a  mongrel  breed  result- 
ing from  the  admixture  of  these  three,  constitute  the 
majority  of  the  inhabitants.  Tliese  are  dispersed  over 
an  area  of  27,000  square  miles,  making  a  proportion 


THE   LLANEROS.  41 

of  only  fourteen  indiyiduals,  out  of  a  population  of 
390,000,  to  every  square  mile. 

This  race,  although  vastly  inferior  to  the  first  in 
mental  capacity  and  moral  worth,  is  endowed  with  a 
physique  admirably  adapted  to  endure  the  fatigues 
of  a  life  beset  with  dangers  and  hardships.^  Cast 
upon  a  wild  and  apparently  interminable  plain,  the 
domain  of  savage  beasts  and  poisonous  reptiles,  their 
lot  has  been  to  pass  all  their  life  in  a  perpetual  strug- 
gle, not  only  with  the  primitive  possessors  of  the 
land,  hut  with  the  elements  themselves,  often  as 
fierce  as  they  are  grand.  When  it  is  not  the  alarm 
of  the  dreaded  viper  or  the  spotted  jaguar,  it  is  the 
sudden  inroad  of  vast  inundations,  which,  spreading 
with  fearful  rapidity  over  the  land,  sweep  off  in  one 
moment  their  frail  habitations  and  their  herds. 
^Nevertheless,  this  insecure  existence,  this  continual 

*  Mons.  de  Lavayesse,  in  his  interesting  work  on  Venezuela,  makes 
some  pertinent  remarks  on  this  subject  worthy  of  the  consideration  and 
study  of  learned  physiologists.  "Why  is  it,"  he  says,  "that  indiriduals 
proceeding  from  a  mixture  of  African  an(i  indigenous  American  blood, 
have  greater  strength,  finer  forms,  more  intellectual  faculties  and  moral 
energy,  than  the  Negro  or  Indian?  Why,  although  the  white  be,  in  gen- 
eral, superior  in  strength  of  body,  mental  powers,  and  in  moral  force,  to 
the  aboriginal  American  and  to  the  negro — why,  I  ask,  are  the  individ- 
uals born  of  the  union  of  a  white  with  an  Indian  woman,  (the  Mestizos, 
for  instance,)  inferior  in  mental  and  corporeal  qualities  to  the  Zambos? 
Why  are  the  Mestizos  generally  distinguished  by  finer  figures,  agreeable 
countenances,  and  in  mildness  and  docility  of  their  dispositions  ?  Why 
is  the  mulatto,  son  of  a  white  and  a  negress,  superior  to  the  Zambo  in  in- 
tellectual faculties,  but  his  inferior  in  physical?  Why  is  it,  that  when 
those  races  are  mixed,  their  progeny  is  remarkable  for  a  more  healthy 
and  vigorous  constitution,  and  for  more  vital  energy,  than  the  individuals 
bom  in  the  same  climate  of  indigenous  European  or  African  blood,  with- 
out mixture  ?  " 


4-2  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

stniggxe  between  life  and  death,  between  rude  intel- 
lect and  matter,  has  for  the  Llanero  a  sort  of  fascina- 
tion, perhaps  not  so  well  understood  by  people  pos- 
sessing the  blessings  and  ideas  of  civilization,  but 
without  which  he  could  not  exist,  especially  if  de- 
prived of  his  horse  and  cast  among  the  mountain 
region  north  of  his  cherished  plains.  Tlie  Modern 
Centaur  of  the  desolate  regions  of  the  "New  World, 
the  Llanero  spends  his  life  on  horseback  ;  all  his  ac- 
tions and  exertions  must  be  assisted  by  his  horse  ;  for 
him  the  noblest  effort  of  man  is,  when  gliding  swiftly 
over  the  boundless  plain  and  bending  over  his  spirited 
charger,  he  overturns  an  enemy  or  masters  a  wild 
bull.  The  following  lines  of  Yictor  Hugo  seem  as 
though  copied  from  this  model :  "  He  would  not  fight 
but  on  horseback  ;  he  forms  but  one  person  with  his 
horse  ;  he  lives  on  horseback  ;  trades,  buys,  and  sells 
on  horseback ;  eats,  drinks,  sleeps,  and  dreams  on 
horseback."  Like  the  Arab,  he  considers  his  horse 
his  best  and  most  reliable  friend  on  earth,  often  de- 
priving himself  of  rest  and  comfort  after  a  hard  day's 
journey  to  afford  his  faithful  companion  abundance 
of  food  and  water.  It  is  not  at  all  surprising,  there- 
fore, to  hear  the  bard — all  Llaneros  are  poets  more  or 
less — exclaim,  after  the  loss  of  both  his  wife  and  val- 
ued horse : 

Mi  mnger  j  mi  caballo 

Se  me  murieron  d  un  tiempo ; 

Que  muger,  ni  que  demonio, 

Mi  caballo  es  lo  que  siento. 

My  wife  and  my  valued  horse 
Died  both  at  the  same  time ; 
To  the  devil  with  my  wife, 
For  my  horse  do  I  repine. 


THE   LLANEROS.  43 

Few  people  in  the  world  are  better  riders  than 
the  Llaneros  of  Venezuela,  if  we  except  perhaps  the 
Ganchos  of  Buenos  Ayres,  or  equal  to  either  in  the 
dexterity  thej  display  in  the  wonderful  feats  of  horse- 
manship to  which  their  occupations  in  the  field  in- 
ure them  from  childhood.  Their  horses,  moreover, 
are  so  well  trained  to  the  various  evolutions  of  their 
profession,  that  animal  and  rider  seem  to  possess  hut 
one  existence. 

The  life  of  the  Llanero,  like  that  of  the  Gaucho 
his  prototype,  is  singularly  interesting,  and  resembles 
in  many  respects  that  of  others  who,  like  them,  have 
their  abode  in  the  midst  of  extensive  plains.  Thus 
they  have  been  aptly  styled  the  Cossacks  and  the 
Arabs  of  the  New  World,  with  both  of  whom  they 
have  many  points  in  common,  but  more  especially  do 
they  resemble  the  last  named.  When  visiting  the 
famous  Constantine  Gallery  of  paintings  at  Yersailles, 
I  was  struck  with  the  resemblance  of  the  Algerine 
heroes  of  Horace  Yemet  with  our  own,  revealing  at 
once  the  Moorish  descent  of  the  latter,  independently 
of  other  characteristic  peculiaiities. 

The  inimitable  author  of  "  Journeys  Across  Tlie 
Pampas,"  already  quoted,  alluding  to  the  life  of 
these  wild  shepherds  of  the  plains,  compares  it  very 
appropriately  to  the  rise  and  progress  of  a  young 
eagle,  so  beautifully  described  by  Horace  in  the 
following  verses : 

Olim  juventas  et  patrius  vigor 
Nidum  laborum  propiilit  inscium ; 
Yernique,  jam  nimbis  remotis, 
Insolitos  docuere  nisus 


44  WILD   SCENES   IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

Venti  paventem ;  mox  in  ovilia 
Demisit  hostein  vividus  impetus ; 
Nunc  in  reluctantes  dracones 
Egit  amor  dapis  atque  pugnse. 

— HoEACE,  Book  iv.,  Ode  iv. 

"  Whom  native  vigor,  and  the  rush 
Of  youth  have  spurr'd  to  quit  the  nest, 

And  skies  of  blue,  in  springtide's  flush, 
Entice  aloft  to  breast 
The  gales  he  fear'd  before  his  lordly  plumes  were  drest. 

"  ]Now  swooping,  eager  for  his  prey, 
Spreads  havoc  through  the  flutter'd  fold ; 

Straight,  fired  by  love  of  food  and  fray. 
In  grapple  fierce  and  bold. 
The  struggling  dragons  rends,  e'en  in  their  rocky  hold." 

— Translation  by  Maetin. 

"  Born  in  the  rnde  hut,  the  infant  Gaucho  receives 
little  attention,  but  is  left  to  swing  from  the  roof  in  a 
bullock's  hide,  the  comers  of  which  are  drawn  tow- 
ards each  other  by  four  strips  of  hide.  In  the.  first 
year  of  his  life  he  crawls  about  without  clothes,  and  I 
have  more  than  once  seen  a  mother  give  a  child  of 
this  age  a  sharp  knife,  a  foot  long,  to  play  with.  As 
soon  as  he  walks,  his  infantine  amusements  are  those 
which  prepare  him  for  the  occupations  of  his  future 
life  ;  with  a  lazo  made  of  twine  he  tries  to  catch  little 
birds,  or  the  dogs,  as  they  walk  in  and  out  of  the  hut. 
By  the  time  he  is  four  years  old  he  is  on  horseback, 
and  immediately  becomes  useful  by  assisting  to  drive 
the  cattle  into  the  corral." 

When  sufiiciently  strong  to  cope  with  a  wild  ani- 


THE   LLANEROS.  45 

mal,  the  young  Llanero  is  taken  to  the  majada  or 
great  cattle-pen,  and  there  hoisted  npon  the  bare 
back  of  a  fierce  young  bull.  With  his  face  turned 
towards  the  animal's  tail,  which  he  holds  in  lieu  of 
bridle,  and  his  little  legs  twisted  around  the  neck  of 
his  antagonist,  he  is  whirled  round  and  round  at  a 
furious  rate.  His  position,  as  may  be  imagined,  is 
any  thing  but  equestrian  ;  yet,  the  fear  of  coming  in 
contact  with  the  bull's  horns  compels  the  rider  to 
hold  on  until,  by  a  dexterous  twist  of  the  animal's 
tail  while  he  jumps  off  its  back,  he  succeeds  in  over- 
turning his  antagonist. 

In  proportion  as  he  grows  older  and  stronger,  a 
more  manly  amusement  is  afforded  him  with  the 
breaking  in  of  a  wild  colt.  This  being,  however,  a 
more  dangerous  experiment,  in  which  many  a  "  young 
eagle  "  is  rendered  a  "  lame  duck,"  he  is  provided 
with  the  necessary  accoutrements  to  withstand  the 
terrible  struggle  with  the  animal.  Firmly  seated 
upon  his  back  and  brandishing  overhead  a  tough 
chaparro  vine  for  a  whip,  the  apprentice  is  thus  in- 
stalled in  his  new  office,  from  which  he  must  not  de- 
scend until  the  brute  is  perfectly  subdued ;  the  coil 
of  lazo  in  the  hands  of  his  merciless  instructor  would 
be  the  least  evil  awaiting  him  should  he  otherwise 
escape  safe  and  sound  from  the  desperate  kicks  and 
plunges  of  the  horse. 

Here  commences  what  we  may  term,  the  public 
life  of  the  Llanero  ;  his  education  is  now  considered 
complete.  From  this  moment  all  his  endeavors  and 
ambition  will  be  to  rival  his  companions  in  the  dis- 
play of  physical  force,  which  he  shows  to  an  admi- 


46  WILD   SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

rable  degree  when,  armed  with,  his  tough  lazo,  he 
pursues  the  wild  animals  of  his  domain.  If  a  power- 
ful bull  or  wild  horse  tries  to  escape  into  the  open 
plain,  the  cavalier  unfurls  the  noose  which  is  always 
ready  by  his  side,  and  the  fugitive  is  quickly  brought 
back  to  the  corral.  Should  the  thong  give  way  under 
the  impetuous  flight  of  the  animal,  the  rider  seizes 
him  by  the  tail,  and  whirling  round  suddenly,  pulls 
towards  him  with  so  much  force  as  to  cause  his  im- 
mediate overthrow. 

In  all  these  exercises  the  roving  cavalier  of  the 
Llanos  acquires  that  feeling  of  security  and  enduring 
disposition  for  which  he  is  famous.  Unfortunately,  it 
is  often  turned  to  account  in  disturbing  the  balance 
of  power  among  his  more  enlightened  countrymen ; 
for  he  is  always  ready  to  join  the  first  revolutionary 
movement  offering  him  the  best  chances  for  equipping 
himself  with  arms  of  all  descriptions. .  I^ext  to  the 
horse,  the  Llanero  esteems  those  weapons  which  give 
him  a  superiority  over  his  fellow-creatures,  viz.,  a 
lanoe,  a  blunderbuss,  and  a  fine  sword.  If  he  is  un- 
provided with  either  of  these,  he  considers  himself  a 
miserable  and  degraded  being,  and  all  his  efforts  will 
tend  to  gratify  this  favorite  vanity,  even  at  the  risk 
of  his  own  life.  Therefore  he  goes  to  war,  because  he 
is  sure,  if  victorious,  of  finding  the  battle-field  covered 
with  these  tempting  trophies  of  his  ambition.  In  this, 
unfortunately,  he  is  too  often  encouraged  by  a  host 
of  unprincipled  politicians  who,  not  wishing  to  earn 
a  livelihood  by  fair  means,  are  eternally  plotting 
against  the  powers  that  be. 

The  style  of  sword  worn  by  the  Llaneros  differs 


THE   LLANEROS.  47 

little  from  that  used  by  Spaniards  of  the  middle  ages, 
the  hilt  being  surmounted  by  a  guard  in  the  shape  of 
a  reversed  cup,  affording  an  excellent  protection  to 
the  hand  that  wields  it,  while  the  blade  is  made  with 
two  edges,  instead  of  one.  Most  of  these  swords  are 
mounted  in  silver,  the  same  as  the  accompanying 
dagger,  another  of  their  favorite  weapons  ;  and  such 
is  the  passion  among  Llaneros  for  glittering  swords 
and  daggers,  that  they  would  sooner  dispense  with  a 
house  or  a  corral,  than  with  either  of  these  expensive 
commodities. 

The  lance  comes  next  in  importance,  and  in  their 
hands  is  quite  a  formidable  weapon,  which  they  are 
enabled  to  handle  with  great  dexterity,  from  their 
constant  practice  with  the  garrocha  or  goad  with 
which  they  drive  and  turn  the  cattle.  As  an  element 
of  war,  the  lance  has  become  celebrated  in  the  coun- 
try, having  rendered  the  cause  of  Independence  the 
most  effectual  service  in  repelling  the  attacks  of  the 
sanguinary  hosts  sent  by  Spain  against  the  indomi- 
table "  Eebeldes  "  of  Colombia. 

Tlie  trabuco  or  blunderbuss,  too,  is  held  in  great 
estimation  as  a  weapon  of  defence,  or  rather  of  ag- 
gression, as  they  are  at  all  times  ready  to  test  its 
powers  on  the  slightest  provocation ;  and  nobody 
thinks  of  travelling  in  that  desert  country  without 
one  of  these  wide-mouthed  spitfires  by  his  side. 

Being  rather  of  a  superstitious  turn  of  mind,  these 
people  believe  that  by  decorating  their  deadly  wea- 
pons with  some  insignia  of  their  religion,  they  are 
rendered  more  effectual ;  the  cross  surmounts  their 
swords  and  daggers  ;  while  the  rosary  and  agnus  Dei 


48  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

entwine  the  butt-end  of  their  trabucos^  when  called 
into  requisition.  Thus  they  are  emboldened  to  per- 
form acts  of  desperate  valor  which,  under  any  other 
circumstances,  would  be  considered  rash  in  the  ex- 
treme. 

Such  is  the  religious  faith  of  these  benighted 
people ;  a  rieligion  of  form  and  superstition  rather 
than  conviction.  Christianity,  like  the  Spanish  lan- 
guage, exists  among  them,  it  is  true ;  but  corrupted 
and  enveloped  in  dark  superstition,  almost  bordering 
on  idolatry.  It  cannot,  however,  be  expected  that  a 
widely  scattered  population  over  so  extensive  an  area 
of  desert  plains,  should  possess  any  means  of  enlight- 
enment beyond  what  is  conveyed  to  them  through 
the  few  teachers  distributed  among  the  principal 
towns  of  the  interior.  Therefore  it  is  not  an  unusual 
thing  to  meet  with  persons  owning  extensive  cattle 
farms,  and  even  holding  important  commissions  in 
the  army,  who  cannot  read  or  write.  During  the 
good  old  times  of  the  Capuchin  Missions,  the  youth 
of  the  villages  under  their  control  received  at  their 
hands  a  scanty  education,  principally  in  the  primary 
notions  of  the  catechism  ;  but  with  the  destruction  of 
those  beneficent  establishments,  during  the  protracted 
struggle  between  natives  and  Spaniards,  they  were 
replunged  into  utter  ignorance,  and  most  of  their 
places  of  worship  have  long  since  gone  to  decay. 
Tliey  have  retained,  nevertheless,  enough  of  the  ex- 
travagant notions  of  that  school  to  establish  a  creed 
singularly  at  variance  with  the  teachings  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  founded  principally  on  a  belief  in  saints  and 
amulets.    Tlie  latter  consist  in  little  trinkets  wrought 


THE   LLANEROS.  49 

in  gold  or  silver ;  or  written  orisons  carefully  pre- 
served in  leathern  bags  and  worn  suspended  from 
tlieir  rosaries  arotind  tlieir  necks.  Most  of  these  ori- 
sons are  the  more  extravagant  from  the  fact  they  have 
no  meaning  whatever ;  yet  this  very  obscurity  seems 
to  attach  greater  value  to  them,  their  principal  charm 
consisting,  as  they  say,  in  their  mysterious  import. 

Great  faith  is  also  placed  in  certain  prayers  which 
are  supposed  to  have  the  power  of  driving  away  the 
Devil,  curing  diseases  and  averting  all  kinds  of  evil. 

As  regards  their  Creator,  they  only  have  some 
vague  ideas ;  they  believe,  for  instance,  in  one  God ; 
Tnais  voila  toid.  They  seem  to  entertain  greater  fear 
of  Beelzebub  and  Death  personified,  both  of  whom 
they  imagine  to  possess  undisputed  sway  over  His 
creatures.  The  first  they  fancy  to  be  fashioned  with 
horns,  hoofs,  and  claws  like  some  of  their  wild  beasts. 
Their  ideas  of  death  are  no  less  extravagant.  A  re- 
spectable old  gentleman  of  my  acquaintance  who  once 
found  himself  very  low  with  fever,  thus  related  his 
experience  respecting  this  fearful  vision.  "  Why !  " 
said  he  to  a  circle  of  friends  who  came  to  congratulate 
him  on  his  recovery,  "  I  had  always  supposed  that 
Death  was  actually  a  horrid  skeleton  skulking  about 
the  world  in  search  of  victims,  and  carrying  in  his 
hand  a  fearful  hook  with  which  he  angled  for  us  as 
we  do  for  fish.  ]^o  such  thing,  my  friends,  I  assure 
you ;  Death,  after  all,  is  nothing  more  than  lack  of 
breath ; "  accompanying  the  assertion  with  a  gentle 
pressure  of  his  nose  with  his  fingers  and  a  hearty 
laugh. 

As  a  natural  consequence,  the  Llaneros,  in  spite 
3 


50  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

of  tlieir  bravery  and  sangfroid  in  other  respects,  en- 
tertain great  fear  of  espantos  or  ghosts  and  appari- 
tions. One  of  the  most  popular  hallucinations  of  this 
kind  is  la  hola  defuego^  or  "  light  of  Aguirre  the  Ty- 
rant," as  the  natives  usually  style  it — a  sort  of  ignis 
fatuus,  arising  from  the  decomposition  of  organic 
substances  at  the  bottom  of  certain  marshes.  Super- 
stitious imaginations,  unacquainted  with  this  phe- 
nomenon, readily  transform  these  gaseous  exhalations 
into  the  soul  of  the  famous  Lope  de  Aguirre  wander- 
ing about  the  savannas.  This  adventurous  individual 
had  the  satisfaction,  while  he  lived,  of  discovering  the 
great  river  Amazon.  Being  of  a  restless  and  bloody 
disposition,  like  all  the  heroes  of  that  epoch,  he  started 
in  search  of  El  Dorado  with  a  powerful  expedition 
from  Peru,  which  resulted  in  the  discovery  of  the 
Father  of  "Waters.  He  stained  his  laurels,  however, 
with  the  blood  of  his  own  daughter,  as  well  as  with 
that  of  his  companions,  for  which  unpardonable  atro- 
cities it  is  believed  his  accursed  soul  was  left  to  wan- 
der over  those  countries  which  he  sullied  with  his 
crimes.*  !N'ow  it  appears  before  the  terrified  traveller 
in  the  form  of  a  blazing  ball  of  fire  ;  a  minute  after 
it  will  be  seen  one  or  two  miles  off.  If  sufficiently 
near,  the  spectator  cannot  fail  to  observe  the  entrails 
of  the  wicked  wanderer  enveloped  in  the  flames  of 
this  extraordinary  apparition.  Such  is  the  power  of 
affrighted  imaginations  which  have  converted  one  of 
the  commonest  phenomena  of  chemical  action  into 
the  wildest  speculation  of  besotted  fanaticism. 

*  See  Humboldt,  Travels  to  the  Equinoctial  Regions  of  America. 


THE   LLANEROS.  5;[ 

"With  regard  to  miracles  and  the  interposition  of 
tlie  saints,  the  names  of  some  of  which  are  constantly 
in  their  months,  the  Llaneros  also  have  many  cnrions 
notions.  For  every  emergency  of  their  lives  there  is 
a  special  patron  saint ;  San  Pablo,  like  good  old  St. 
Patrick,  is  supposed  to  have  entire  sway  over  snakes 
and  other  vermin;  San  Antonio,  the  power  of  re- 
storing stolen  goods  to  their  rightful  owners ;  while 
San  somebody  else  that  of  befriending  the  highway 
robber  and  assassin  from  the  punishment  of  justice 
and  violent  death.  As  an  illustration  of  this  fact,  I 
will  relate  here  an  incident  which  I  witnessed  during 
one  of  those  endemic  revolutions  so  tj-pical  of  the 
Spanish  American  republics,  and  which  never  fail  to 
foster  lawless  bands  of  desperadoes  who,  under  the 
cover  of  political  reforms,  commit  all  sorts  of  depre- 
dations upon  the  helpless  inhabitants. 


JOSE  UEBANO,  THE  GUERILLA-CHIEF. 

A  digression  for  the  saTce  ofxariety. 

Shortly  after  our  return  from  the  Apure,  a  revo- 
lution broke  out  among  the  colored  population  ;  a 
class  which  until  then  had  been  the  most  peaceful 
and  submissive,  but  since  perverted  to  such  a  degree 
as  to  require  all  the  energies  and  resources  of  the 
white  race  to  save  itself  from  utter  ruin  and  degra- 
dation. 

An  ambitious  demagogue,  editor  of  a  newspaper 
in  the  capital,  had  been  seized  with  the  mania,  so 


52  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AilERICA. 

prevalent  in  South  America,  of  becoming  President 
{^pro  tern.)  of  the  Hepublic.  To  this  end,  he  spared  no 
means  in  recommending  himself  to  the  public,  through 
the  columns  of  his  paper,  heaping  at  the  same  time 
all  kinds  of  slander  and  abuse  upon  those  who  stood 
in  his  way.  Finding,  however,  little  cooperation  from 
the  better  class  of  the  community,  he  experienced  no 
scruple  in  courting  the  favor  of  the  colored  popula- 
tion, who,  he  readily  persuaded,  "  had  a  perfect  right 
to  share  in  the  gains  and  property  of  their  aristocratic 
masters."  The  Government  was  powerless  in  arrest- 
ing the  spirit  of  revolt  which  was  daily  being  infused 
among  the  masses,  as  the  Constitution  allowed  perfect 
freedom  of  the  press,  and  the  good  citizens  did  not 
care  to  take  the  matter  into  their  own  hands.  The 
consequence  was,  a  fearful  outbreak  among  the  lower 
classes,  backed  by  all  the  tramposos  or  broken-down 
speculators  of  the  country,  proclaiming  community 
of  property,  and  the  ci-devant  editor  (who,  by  the 
way,  had  not  a  sous  to  stake  in  it)  candidate  for  the 
next  Presidency  of  the  Eepublic.  The  revolt  soon 
spread  to  the  Llaneros,  by  far  the  most  to  be  feared 
in  the  matter  of  hard  blows ;  and  although  it  was 
quelled  in  time  through  the  efforts  of  General  Paez, 
it  sowed  the  seeds  of  discontent  which  have  since 
brought  forth  to  the  country  an  abundant  crop  of  re- 
venge, violence,  and  rapine.  It  was  during  that  cam- 
paign the  incident  I  am  about  to  relate  occurred  in 
the  savannas  of  San  Pablo. 

We  had  just  encamped  for  the  night  on  the  beau- 
tiful plain  of  Morrocoyes,  not  far  from  our  place, 
when  a  messenger  arrived  to  apprise  the  General  that 


THE  LLANEROS.  53 

the  famous  Jose  Urbano,  leader  of  a  band  of  robbers 
who  had  committed  several  wanton  murders  in  that 
neighborhood,  had  crossed  over  to  San  Pablo  under 
cover  of  night.  The  General  immediately  despatched 
a  dozen  of  his  men  after  the  banditti,  with  positive 
orders  to  follow  up  the  rastro  or  trail  to  the  world's 
end  if  necessary,  and  not  return  to  his  presence  with- 
out the 'body  of  the  leader,  muerto  6  vivo,  dead  or 
alive.  To  any  other  set  of  men  less  accustomed  to 
the  wild  pursuits  of  the  Llanos,  this  would  have  ap- 
peared an  impossibility  in  a  country  like  San  Pablo, 
traversed  in  all  directions  by  numerous  cross-ways 
made  by  the  cattle  ;  but  the  instinct  of  those  men  in 
tracking  runaways  as  well  as  stray  animals,  is  truly 
wonderful.  Although  the  plain  was  covered  with  the 
footprints  of  twenty  thousand  animals  roaming  wild 
over  the  savannas,  they  followed  close  on  the  heels  of 
the  banditti,  until  they  fell  in,  unfortunately,  with 
another  trail  left  by  some  vaqueros.  The  night  was 
very  dark,  and  they  easily  mistook  this  for  that  of  the 
enemy.  As  a  matter  of  course  it  led  them  to  a  ranch 
where  the  unlucky  vaqueros  were  amusing  themselves 
at  the  game  of  monte.  Without  stopping  to  ascertain 
who  the  gamblers  were,  the  troop  charged  in  the 
midst  of  them,  killing  two  or  three  innocent  fellows, 
and  dispersing  the  rest  like  a  herd  of  wild  sheep. 
The  aggressors  did  not  discover  their  mistake  until 
one  of  the  fugitives,  who  happened  to  be  acquainted 
with  the  party,  recognized  the  voice  of  the  com- 
mander, and  shouted  to  him  to  stop  the  carnage. 

After  this  unfortunate  encounter,  it  may  be  easy 
to  conceive  that  the  troopers  were  not  slow  in  retrac- 


54:  WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

ing  their  steps  in  searcli  of  the  cause  of  their  mistake ; 
this  time,  however,  with  more  prudence,  carefully  ex- 
amining every  trail  until  they  found  the  right  one.  It 
led  them  to  another  ranch  where  Urbano  was  spend- 
ing the  evening  in  the  society  of  one  of  his  numerous 
sweethearts.  Here  they  all  dismounted  very  quietly, 
and  leaving  the  horses  in  charge  of  two  companions, 
they  rushed  into  the  ranch  with  a  wild  shout  and 
lance  in  hand.  The  attack  was  so  sudden,  that  most 
of  the  banditti  were  either  killed  or  dispersed  before 
they  had  time  to  seize  their  arms.  Only  their  gallant 
leader  stood  at  bay  against  tremendous  odds,  defend- 
ing himself  bravely  for  a  long  time  with  the  assistance 
of  his  equally  courageous  sweetheart,  who  kept  all 
the  while  urging  him  on  like  a  tigress. 

Overpowered  at  last  by  a  superior  force,  and  faint 
with  the  loss  of  blood  from  numerous  wounds,  the 
bandit  fell  at  the  feet  of  his  sable  Amazon.  When 
raised,  an  amulet  was  found  between  his  teeth  so 
firmly  held,  that  it  required  the  united  efforts  of  two 
men  to  remove  it.  On  being  opened,  it  was  found  to 
contain  a  written  orison,  shrouded  in  such  mysterious 
language  as  would  have  defied  the  skill  of  a  magician 
to  decipher.  This,  I  was  informed,  was  the  famous 
Oracion  del  Justo  Juez^  a  singular  misnomer  for  a 
talisman  intended  to  befriend  these  gente  non  sancta  \ 
in  their  marauding  expeditions. 

It  was  a  lucky  thing  for  the  assailants  that  Urbano 
received  at  the  outset  a  severe  cut  on  his  right  arm, 
causing  an  immediate  flow  of  blood  which  filled  the 
pan  of  his  trabuco^  otherwise  the  affair. would  have 
terminated  very  differently.    The  ignition  of  the  pow- 


THE  LLANEROS.  55 

der  was  thus  prevented  just  as  he  was  in  the  act  of 
discharging  the  contents  of  that  engine  of  destruction 
amidst  the  group. 

Tlie  body  of  -the  culprit  was  now  tied  on  the  back 
of  a  horse  and  conveyed  to  the  presence  of  the  Gen- 
eral, as  an  atonement  for  the  unfortunate  mistake 
which  had  deprived  him  of  the  services  of  two  or 
three  valuable  hands. 

The  news  of  this  adventure  spread  as  if  by  magic 
over  the  surrounding  country  and  brought  together 
great  numbers  of  curiosos^  among  them,  no  doubt, 
many  of  Urbano's  adherents,  who  might  have  dis- 
credited the  statement.  The  General  improved  the 
opportunity  to  address  them  an  impressive  homily, 
ordering  at  the  same  time  the  mutilated  body  of  the 
renowned  bandit  to  be  exposed  on  the  public  road  for 
twenty-four  hours,  as  a  warning  to  others  with  similar 
proclivities. 

The  death  of  this  man,  considered  invulnerable  by 
the  superstitious  children  of  the  Llanos,  produced  a 
more  powerful  impression  upon  them  than  if  a  great 
battle  had  been  fought  and  won.  Next  day,  hun- 
dreds oi  faociosos^  availing  themselves  of  a  general 
amnesty  granted  by  the  Commander-in-Chief  to  re- 
pentant revolutionists,  began  to  arrive  from  various^ 
quarters  and  gave  in  their  submission. 

Thus  ended  for  the  time  being  one  of  the  most 
dangerous  outbreaks  that  had  ever  occurred  in  the 
country,  from  the  nature  of  the  principles  involved. 
As  to  the  originator,  he  was  subsequently  eclipsed  by 
a  bolder  political  aspirant,  the  ever-memorable  Jose 
T.  Monagas.     This  worthy,  of  whom  more  especial 


56  WILD    SCENES    IN   SOUTH    AMERICA. 

mention  will  be  made  hereafter,  and  who,  in  an  evil 
lionr  for  liis  country,  was  called  to  fill  tlie  chair  of 
State,  profiting  by  the  condition  of  anarchy  in  which 
the  other  had  plunged  the  nation,  afterwards  shot 
down  the  Kepresentatives  of  the  people  in  Congress 
assembled,  and  proclaimed  himself  absolute  ruler, 
thus  leaving  the  other  ambitious  pretender  to  exclaim 
with  the  poet : 

"  Hos  ego  versiculos  feci,  tulit  alter  honores," 


CHAPTER  V. 

SCENES     AT     THE     FISHERY. 

Four  days  we  remained  at  San  Pablo  making  ar- 
rangements for  the  contemplated  expedition  to  tlie 
Apure ;  but  the  horses  being  quartered  at  consider- 
able distance,  we  removed  to  La  Yegiiera,  a  small  farm 
within  the  estate  exclusively  devoted  to  the  breeding 
of  those  animals.  Great  numbers  of  mules  were  also 
raised  there,  which  made  the  equine  stock  amount  to 
nearly  three  thousand  animals  of  all  ages.  There, 
untrammelled  by  barriers  of  any  kind,  they  roamed 
at  will  over  those  beautiful  meadows  in  a  semi-wild 
state ;  their  only  keeper  was  a  half-breed,  who  with 
his  family  occupied  the  Ranch,  which  on  that  occasion 
was  to  shelter  us  also.  This  Ranch  being  too  small, 
however,  for  the  accommodation  of  the  whole  party, 
most  of  them  bivouacked  in  a  grove  of  lofty  Cesal- 
pinias  and  Carob  trees,  from  whose  spreading  branches 
they  slung  their  hammocks,  the  dense  foliage  forming 
a  sujfficient  shelter  from  the  heavy  dews  of  night  and 
the  heat  of  the  sun  by  day. 

Our  Leader,  the  Doctor,  and  myself,  were  domi- 
3* 


58  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

ciled  at  the  Ranch.  Having  the  lull  range  of  the 
neighboring  groves  during  the  day,  we  had  then  no 
occasion  to  use  our  single  apartment,  already  par- 
tially occupied  with  the  culinary  utensils  and  other 
wares  of  the  family.  But  on  retiring  to  our  ham- 
mocks at  night,  the  scene  presented  was  rather  ludi- 
crous. In  the  same  room  allotted  to  us  slept  the 
keeper,  his  wife,  and  their  numerous  progeny, 
with  all  the  dogs  and  chickens  of  the  household 
huddled  together  in  the  most  familiar  manner.  ISTot- 
withstanding,  I  will  confess  that  the  arrangement  was 
not  altogether  disagreeable  to  me,  as  in  close  pro- 
pinquity slept  two  of  the  prettiest  damsels  I  had  yet 
encountered  in  that  region,  with  eyes  brilliant  enough 
to  render  other  light  superfluous.  The  only  important 
hindrance  to  my  nightly  repose  was  the  occasional 
flapping  of  wings  and  the  hourly  crowing  of  our 
host's  favorite  gamecock,  tied  directly  under  my  ham- 
mock, and  who  served  for  clock  and  night-watchman 
to  the  establishment. 

Agapito,  our  host,  had  an  easy  time  as  overseer 
of  this  domain,  his  only  occupation  being  from  time 
to  time  to  scour  the  savannas  in  search  of  young  foals 
which  might  have  been  attacked  by  the  gusano.  This 
is  the  larvae  of  a  species  of  fly  deposited  in  the  umbili- 
cal cord  of  the  new  bom,  and  which,  if  not  promptly 
removed,  will  eat  into  the  very  vitals.  It  is  fortu- 
nately not  difficult  to  destroy  them  by  the  use  of  pow- 
dered cebadilla^  the  seed  of  a  liliaceous  plant  (Yera- 
trum  cebadilla)  abounding  in  veratrine.  For  this 
purpose,  the  keeper  is  always  provided  with  a  horn 
filled  with  the  poisonous  drug,  and  a  wooden  spatula. 


SCENES   AT    THE   FISHERY.  59 

With  the  latter  he  digs  out  the  worms  and  fills  the 
wound  with  the  powder  to  prevent  a  renewal  of  their 
attacks. 

Groves  and  meadows  unequalled  for  their  luxu- 
riance and  natural  beauty  surrounded  us  on  all  sides, 
while  numerous  springs  and  rivulets,  issuing  from  the 
foot  of  the  terrace-hke  Mesas^  rushed  down  the  de- 
clivity of  the  plain,  increasing  the  volume  of  the 
beautiful  Guarico  on  whose  banks  stood  the  primitive 
abode  of  our  unsophisticated  liost.  This  river  is  justly 
celebrated  for  the  abundance  and  superiority  of  its 
fish ;  so,  without  delay,  providing  myself  with  hook 
and  line,  I  proceeded  thither,  being  anxious  to  procure 
specimens  for  my  sketch-book,  and  also  a  substitute 
for  our  daily  fare  of  beef.  But,  strange  to  relate, 
each  time  I  dropped  hook  in  the  water,  it  was  carried 
away  in  some  mysterious  manner,  without  the  least 
motion  being  imparted  to  the  float.  My  tackle,  which 
I  had  brought  from  England,  although  arranged  for 
fly-fishing,  was  capable  of  bearing  a  fish  of  many 
pounds  weight ;  but  as  I  soon  lost  all  my  stock  in 
hand  in  the  vain  endeavor  to  secure  my  specimens,  I 
gave  up  in  disgust  and  returned  to  the  Ranch  that 
the  mystery  might,  if  possible,  be  explained.  On 
seeing  my  slender  lines,  mine  host  with  a  broad  grin 
facetiously  remarked  tbat  they  were  good  to  play  at 
fishing  with,  the  only  drawback  to  the  amusement 
being  that  the  carihe^  a  fish  not  larger  than  a  perch, 
would  carry  off  all  my  playthings.  Impossible,  said 
I ;  the  lines  are  strong  enough  to  lift  you  out  of  the 
water  if  necessary  ;  to  this  he  quietly  replied,  direct- 
ing my  attention  to  a  mutilated  finger  of  his  right 


go  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

hand,  "  Do  you  see  this  ?  well,  not  long  ago  I  was 
washing  my  hands  in  the  river  after  slaughtering  a 
calf,  when  a  caribe  darted  at  my  finger  and  carried 
olf  a  part  before  I  was  even  aware  of  his  approach." 
Here  was  a  serious  obstacle  to  my  favorite  sport,  and 
to  the  pleasure  that  Mr.  Thomas  and  I  had  anticipated 
in  sketching  the  various  kinds  of  fish  peculiar  to  that 
region.  Fortunately,  a  short  distance  down  the  river 
was  a  fishing  encampment  provided  with  all  the  ne- 
cessary appliances  for  obtaining  the  fish  in  large 
quantities.  Of  these  we  resolved  to  'avail  ourselves ; 
but  as  several  others  of  our  party  were  equally  inter- 
ested, our  leader  despatched  a  messenger  to  the  fish- 
ermen, inviting  them  to  come  up  the  river  with  their 
nets,  and  fish  in  our  presence.  To  this  they  readily 
acceded,  and  soon  after  made  their  appearance  pad* 
dling  themselves  over  the  water  in  four  large  canoes 
laden,  among  other  things,  with  their  chinchorros  or 
seines,  which  they  at  once  proceeded  to  spread  across 
the  stream,  covering  a  deep  charco  or  pool  known  to 
contain  abundance  of  fish.  Although  the  river  at 
this  season  was  very  low,  owing  to  the  usual  summer 
drought,  pools  of  considerable  depth  were  left  at  in- 
tervals, and  in  these  the  fish  sought  refuge  in  vast 
I  numbers  from  the  season's  heat  and  from  the  eager 
pursuit  of  the  fishermen,  of  which  the  latter  sang, 
while  spreading  their  seines,  in  the  following  lines : 

Guavina  le  dijo  a  Yagre 
Vdmonos  al  caramero, 
Porqiie  ya  viene  el  verano 
Y  nos  coge  el  chinchorrero : 


SCENES    AT    THE    FISHERY.  gl 

Guavina  said  to  the  Vagre, 
Let  us  quickly  seek  the  cover, 
Till  the  summer's  heat  is  over, 
Lest  the  seine  make  us  its  prey. 

As  the  nets  were  dragged  towards  each  other,  the 
fish  could  be  seen  by  thousands  moving  within  the 
space  embraced  by  the  seines.  Indeed,  so  numerous 
were  they,  that  it  soon  became  impossible  to  pull 
them  in  shore  without  previously  relieving  them  of  a 
portion  of  their  contents.  Accordingly,  some  of  the 
men,  armed  with  throw-nets,  harpoons,  and  vicheros 
— these  last  large  hooks  affixed  to  wooden  handles — 
plunged  into  the  midst  of  the  finny  multitude,  and 
commenced  an  onslaught  on  the  largest  among  them. 
Presently  one  of  the  men  came  out  with  a  monstrous 
fellow  of  the  catfish  tribe  beautifully  striped  like  a 
Bengal  tiger,  and  like  him  having  a  thick  snout  fur- 
nished with  long  barbs.  This  species  is  called  the 
vagre  rayado  or  striped  catfish,  and  is  much  esteemed 
by  people  of  all  classes  as  a  substitute  for  beef  during 
Lent.  Large  quantities  are  salted  and  sent  at  that 
time  to  the  capital  and  other  cities,  where,  under  the 
name  oi pescado  llanero,  it  forms  one  of  the  delicacies 
of  the  season.  Some  of  these  fish  attain  an  enormous 
size,  measuring  five,  six,  and  even  seven  feet  in  length, 
and  are  so  fat  that  a  single  one  is  a  load  for  two  men. 
There  are  other  varieties  of  catfish,  smaller  in  size, 
although  equally  rich  in  fiavor ;  one  of  them — the 
Engorda-mayordomo — is,  I  conclude  from  its  name, 
a  special  favorite  with  overseers. 

In  diving  with  the  vichero^  much  caution  was 
necessary  on  the  part  of  the  men  lest  they  should  be 


g2  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

hooked  by  tlieir  hasty  companions  in  lieu  of  the  fish. 
A  more  important  source  of  anxiety  to  the  divers, 
was  several  dangerous  fish  among  the  multitude 
struggling  in  the  water,  such  as  the  Ray-fish,  whose 
tail  is  furnished  with  a  sting  three  inches  long,  with 
which  it  inflicts  a  very  painful  wound  ;  Electric  eels, 
whose  touch  alone  will  paralyze  in  an  instant  the  mus- 
cles of  the  strongest  man  ;  the  Payara,  shaped  some- 
what like  a  sabre,  and  equally  dangerous.  The  upper 
jaw  of  this  last  is  furnished  with  a  formidable  pair  of 
fangs,  not  unlike  those  of  the  rattlesnake  ;  with  these 
it  inflicts  as  smooth  a  gash  as  if  cut  with  a  razor ; 
and  finally,  the  caribe^  whose  ravenous  and  blood- 
thirsty propensities  have  caused  it  to  be  likened  to 
the  cannibal  tribe  of  Indians,  once  the  terror  of  those 
regions,  but  now  scattered  over  the  towns  and  vil- 
lages along  the  course  of  the  Orinoco.  Each  time  the 
nets  were  hauled  in  shore,  half  a  dozen  or  more  of 
these  little  pests  were  to  be  seen  jumping  in  the 
crowd,  their  jaws  wide  open  tearing  whatever  came 
in  their  way,  especially  the  meshes  of  the  nets,  which 
they  soon  rendered  useless.  Their  sharp  triangular 
teeth,  arranged  in  the  same  manner  as  those  of  the 
shark,  are  so  strong,  that  neither  copper,  steel,  nor 
twine  can  withstand  them.  The  sight  of  any  red  sub- 
stance, blood  especially,  seems  to  rouse  their  sanguin- 
ary appetite  ;  and  as  they  usually  go  in  swarms,  it  is 
extremely  dangerous  for  man  or  beast  to  enter  the 
water  with  even  a  scratch  upon  their  bodies.  Horses 
wounded  with  the  spur  are  particularly  exposed  to 
their  attacks,  and  so  rapid  is  the  work  of  destruction, 
that  unless  immediate  assistance  is  rendered,  the  fish 


SCENES    AT    THE   FISHERY.  63 

soon  penetrate  the  abdomen  of  the  animal  and  speed- 
ily reduce  it  to  a  skeleton  ;  hence,  doubtless,  their 
appellation  of  moiidonguero — tripe-eater.  There  are 
other  varieties  of  the  caribe  in  the  rivers  of  the 
Llanos,  but  none  so  bold  and  bloodthirsty  as  this 
glutton  of  the  waters.  So  abundant  is  this  species 
in  some  rivers  of  the  Apure,  that  it  is  a  common 
saying  among  Llaneros  :  "  there  is  more  caribe  than 
,  water." 


Every  feature  of  this  miniature  cannibal  denotes 
the  ferocity  and  sanguinary  nature  of  its  tastes.  The 
piercing  eye,  surrounded  by  a  bloody-looking  ring, 
is  expressive  of  its  cruel  and  bloodthirsty  disposition. 
Its  under  jaw,  lined  with  a  thick  cartilaginous  mem- 
brane which  adds  greatly  to  its  strength,  protrudes 
considerably  beyond  the  upper,  giving,  as  this  forma- 
tion of  jaw  does  to  all  animals  possessing  it,  likewise 
an  expression  of  ferocity.  Large  spots  of  a  brilliant 
orange  hue  cover  a  great  portion  of  its  body,  espe- 
cially the  belly,  fins,  and  tail.  Toward  the  back,  it  is 
of  a  bluish  ash  color,  with  a  slight  tint  of  olive  green, 
the  intermediate  spaces  being  of  a  pearly  white,  while 


g4  WILD    SCENES  IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

the  gill-covers  are  tinged  with  red.  Tlie  inhabitants 
being  often  compelled  to  swim  across  streams  infested 
with  them,  entertain  more  fear  of  these  little  creatures 
than  of  that  world-renowned  monster,  the  crocodile. 
This  last,  although  a  formidable  antagonist  in  the 
water,  can  be  easily  avoided  and  even  conquered  in 
single  combat  by  daring  men,  while  the  former,  from 
their  diminutive  size  and  greater  numbers,  can  do  more 
mischief  in  a  short  time  than  a  legion  of  crocodiles. 

The  other  kinds  of  caribe,  although  larger  in  size, 
are  less  dangerous  than  the  preceding,  and  some  even 
perfectly  harmless.  Among  these,  the  black  caribe 
of  the  Apure  and  Orinoco  rivers  is  considered  dainty 
eating.  The  carihito  is  also  a  harmless  pretty  little 
fish,  with  back  of  a  fine  green  color,  and  belly  white 
with  occasional  streaks  of  pink. 

In  spite,  however,  of  all  these  vicious  creatures, 
and  the  great  depth  of  the  w^ater,  the  fishermen  accom-. 
plished  their  work  in  a  manner  that  would  have  done 
credit  to  the  fearless  pearl-divers  of  the  ocean,  more 
especially  the  swimmers,  who  are  constantly  in  dan- 
ger from  some  of  the  fish  while  gliding  through  the 
water  in  their  pursuit.  Those  in  the  canoes  were,  of 
course,  less  liable  to  be  attacked,  although  it  often 
happened  that  a  payara,  being  peculiarly  adapted 
for  darting  out  of  the  water,  would  clear  the  nets  with 
a  spring  and  fall  in  the  midst  of  the  paddlers,  causing 
a  momentary  confusion  among  them.  My  attention 
was  particularly  attracted  to  the  skill  of  the  men  in 
throwing  their  hand  nets,  sometimes  lying  on  their 
stomach  on  the  surface  of  the  water,  their  hands  en- 
cumbered with  the  nets ;  others  would  stand  perfectly 


SCENES    AT    THE    FISHERY.  g5 

erect,  half  their  bodies  out  of  water,  and  without  any 
footing  to  serve  them  as  jpoint  (Fappui.  In  the  same 
manner,  those  whose  business  it  was  to  drive  the  fish 
towards  the  seines,  managed  their  huge  batons,  and 
all  apparently  without  the  least  inconvenience.  Sud- 
denly their  labors  were  interrupted  by  a  serious  ob- 
stacle in  the  shape  of  a  caiman  or  alligator  struggling 
hard  between  the  nets  to  regain  his  freedom.  Here 
was  a  sufficient  test  of  the  courage  and  ability  of  the 
fishers.  If  the  monster  remained,  lie  would  not  only 
endanger  the  nets,  but  also  the  progress  of  the  men 
through  the  water,  they  being  liable  at  any  moment 
to  come  in  contact  with  his  powerful  jaws.  It  was 
therefore  decided  to  get  rid  of  the  intruder  at  all 
hazards.  To  accomplish  this,  a  lazo  was  procured, 
and  to  the  astonishment  of  all  the  hlancos  present,  a 
man  went  down  with  it  to  the  bottom  in  search  of  the 
monster,  with  the  avowed  object  of  lazoing  him  under 
the  water.  After  a  few  moments  of,  to  us,  most  anx- 
ious suspense,  but  which  the  hardy  fishermen  re- 
garded as  child's  play,  their  companion  rose  to  the 
surface  panting  for  breath,  not  yet  having  ascertained 
the  precise  position  of  his  intended  victim.  After 
inhaling  sufficient  air,  the  diver  again  disappeared, 
coming  up  in  due  time  with  the  glad  tidings  that  the 
eiemy  was  captured,  in  proof  whereof  he  handed  us 
the  other  end  of  the  lazo  that  we  might  drag  him  out. 
This  was  no  easy  task,  as  these  reptiles,  by  their  pe- 
culiar conformation,  have  immense  power  while  under 
water,  and  it  required  the  united  efforts  of  all  on 
shore  to  land  him.  This  accomplished,  we  were  per- 
plexed in  what  manner  to  despatch  him,  as  no  steel 


QQ  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

instrument  can  penetrate  the  thick  cuirass  of  the 
caiman^  except  it  be  in  the  armpits ;  but  so  violent 
were  his  struggles,  that  it  was  impossible  to  strike 
him  there.  At  last  the  Doctor,  more  sagacious  than 
the  rest  of  us  in  anatomical  operations,  plunged  a 
harpoon  into  the  nape  of  the  neck.  The  effect  was 
that  of  paralyzing  at  once  the  movements  of  the 
prisoner,  after  which  he  was  easily  stabbed. 

The  manner  in  which  our  gallant  diver  accom- 
plished his  daring  feat  was  thus  explained  by  his 
companions  ;  the  caiman^  like  the  domestic  hog, 
is  said  to  delight  in  being  scratched  about  the  ribs,* 
and.  of  this  the  diver  perhaps  availed  himself  in 
order  to  place  the  noose  around  his  neck,  being  very 
careful  to  approach  him  from  behind,  as  it  is  a  well- 
known  fact  that  these  reptiles,  owing  to  the  nature  of 
their  collar  vertebrae,  cannot  easily  turn  round.  The 
alligator  is  not  so  dangerous  as  its  congener  the  croco- 
dile of  the  Orinoco  and  its  tributaries  ;  few  real  croco- 
diles ever  ascend  the  Guarico  as  far  as  San  Pablo. 
However,  a  case  had  occurred  here  not  long  before, 
when  a  man  disappeared  under  rather  mysterious  cir- 
cumstances, and  there  was  good  reason  to  surmise 
that  his  loss  was  due  to  one  of  these  gentry.  It  ap- 
pears that  the  seines,  being  entangled  around  a  snag 
at  the  bottom  of  the  river,  a  man  was,  as  usual,  sent  to 
remove  the  obstruction ;  considerable  time  elapsing 
without  his  reappearance,  his  comrades,  seriously 
alarmed,  instituted  a  diligent  search,  but  no  vestige  of 
the  unfortunate  man  was  ever  discovered.   It  never  oc- 

*  Since  the  above  was  in  type,  I  find  this  fjict  corroborated  by  Sir 
J.  Emersou  Tennent  in  bis  interesting  "  Sketches  on  the  Natural 
HiSTORr  OF  Ceylon,"  p.  284, 


SCENES    AT    THE    FISHERY.  ^7 

curred  to  his  friends  that  he  might  have  fallen  a  prey 
to  a  crocodile,  and  the  calamity  was  miiversally  as- 
cribed to  the  supernatural  influence  of  some  evil  genii 
of  the  deep.  From  that  time,  the  spot  has  borne  the 
ominous  name  of  the  Encantado  or  haunted  pool. 

All  obstructions  to  the  progress  of  the  nets  were 
at  length  removed,  and  a  sufficient  quantity  of  iish 
liaving  been  taken  therefrom,  we  all  assisted  in  pull- 
ing them  in,  and  a  few  moments  afterwards  had  the 
satisfaction  of  beholding  the  sand  banks  on  which  we 
were,  strewn  with  the  proceeds  of  the  two  seines. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  convey  an  adequate 
idea  of  the  singular  forms  and  brilliant  hues  of  most 
of  these  fish,  all  new  to  me.  Tlie  Cherna^  in  particu- 
lar, attracted  my  attention  from  their  abundance 
and  peculiar  formation.  Some  attain  a  large  size, 
weighing  as  much  as  a  hundred  pounds,  and  their 
flesh  is  so  delicate  as  to  deserve  the  appellation 
of  river  veal.  The  mouth  is  comparatively  small, 
and  set  with  a  row  of  teeth  bearing  a  strong  resem- 
blance to  those  of  the  human  species. 

The  fishing  having  been  solely  for  our  amusement, 
and  more  game  obtained  than  we  required  for  our 
consumption,  some  was  distributed  among  the  people 
of  the  neighborhood  who  had  collected  to  witness  the 
sport,  and  the  remainder  given  to  the  fishermen,  who 
received  besides  a  handsome  compensation  for  their 
trouble  in  coming  so  far  from  their  encampment. 

During  the  distribution  of  the  fish,  a  singular  in- 
cident took  place  which  illustrates  at  once  the  tena- 
city of  life  with  which  reptiles  are  endowed,  and  the 
electrical  powers  of  that  most  singular  creature,  the 


68 


WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 


gymnotus  or  electric  eel.  A  boy  had  discovered  one 
of  these  among  the  heap  of  fish  on  the  beach,  and  was 
dragging  it  along  by  means  of  a  vlchero  to  avoid  the 
shocks,  when  the  body  of  the  eel  came  accidentally 
in  contact  with  the  carcass  of  the  caiman.  This  last, 
which,  after  the  rough  treatment  it  had  received  from 
our  medical  adviser,  was  supposed  to  be  quite  dead, 
much  to  the  surprise  of  all,  opened  his  huge  jaws 
and  closed  them  with  a  loud  crash.  The  Doctor,  espe- 
cially, who,  from  his  professional  knowledge  in  surgi- 
cal operations,  had  pronounced  it  beyond  recovery, 
was  the  loudest  in  his  expressions  of  astonishment  at 
this  unexpected  turn.  It  was,  however,  merely  a 
convulsive  movement,  induced  by  contact  with  the 
eel,  and  similar  to  that  produced  on  the  limbs  of  a  frog 
by  a  galvanic  current ;  for,  afterward,  the  reptile  re- 
mained without  further  signs  of  returning  life.  Science 
will,  ere  long,  take  advantage  of  the  electric  eel. 


SCENES   AT    THE   FISHERY.  Qg 

I  would  here  most  willinglj  entertain  my  readers 
with  an  account  of  the  nature  and  habits  of  these 
"  animal  electrical  machines,"  had  not  the  great 
Humboldt  already  elucidated  the  subject  in  the  most 
comprehensive  and  brilliant  manner.  To  his  admir- 
able works  I  will  therefore  refer  the  reader  for  a  full 
and  graphic  description  of  this,  one  of  the  most  curi- 
ous of  fish.  It  was  in  one  of  the  numerous  tributary 
creeks  of  this  river,  that  the  distinguished  traveller 
procured  the  gymnoti  for  his  experiments ;  perhaps 
from  amongst  the  progenitors  of  the  above  mentioned. 
The  manner  in  which  they  were  obtained  differed 
somewhat,  however,  from  the  one  adopted  by  us  on 
this  occasion.  Knowing  how  difficult  it  was  to  catch 
these  eels  on  account  of  their  extreme  agility  and 
powerful  electrical  discharges,  the  guides  collected  in 
the  savannas  a  drove  of  wild  horses,  which  they  forced 
into  a  pool  of  water  abounding  in  gymnoti.  "  The 
extraordinary  noise  caused  by  the  horses'  hoofs  makes 
the  fish  issue  from  the  mud  and  excites  them  to  at- 
tack. The  yellowish  and  livid  eels,  resembling  large 
aquatic  serpents,  swim  on  the  surface  of  the  water 
and  crowd  under  the  bellies  of  the  horses  and  mules. 
A  contest  between  animals  of  so  different  an  organi- 
zation presents  a  very  striking  spectacle.  The  In- 
dians, provided  with  harpoons  and  long  slender  reeds, 
surround  the  pool  closely,  and  some  climb  up  the 
trees,  the  branches  of  which  extend  horizontally  over 
the  surface  of  the  water.  By  their  wild  cries,  and 
the  length  of  their  reeds,  they  prevent  the  horses 
from  running  away  and  reaching  the  bank  of  the 
pool.     The  eels,  stunned  by  the  noise,  defend  them- 


70  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH    AMERICA. 

selves  by  the  repeated  discharge  of  their  electric  bat- 
teries. For  a  long  interval  they  seem  likely  to  prove 
victorious.  Several  horses  sink  beneath  the  violence 
of  the  invisible  strokes  which  they  receive  from  all 
sides  in  organs  the  most  essential  to  life  ;  and  stunned 
by  the  force  and  frequency  of  the  shocks,  they  disap- 
pear under  water." 

"  I  wish,"  adds  the  traveller,  "  that  a  clever  artist 
could  have  depicted  the  most  animated  period  of  the 
attack ;  the  group  of  Indians  surrounding  the  pond, 
the  horses  with  their  manes  erect  and  eyeballs  wild 
with  pain  and  fright,  striving  to  escape  from  the 
electric  storm  which  they  had  roused,  and  driven 
back  by  the  shouts  and  long  whips  of  the  excited  In- 
dians ;  the  livid  yellow  eels,  like  great  water  snakes, 
swimming  near  the  surface  and  pursuing  their  enemy  ; 
all  these  objects  presented  a  most  picturesque  and 
exciting  '  ensemble.'  In  less  than  five  minutes  two 
horses  were  killed  ;  the  eel,  being  more  than  five  feet 
in  length,  glides  beneath  the  body  of  the  horse  and 
discharges  the  whole  length  of  its  electric  organ.  It 
attacks,  at  the  same  time,  the  heart,  the  digestive 
viscera,  and  the  coeliac  fold  of  the  abdominal  nerves. 
I  thought  the  scene  would  have  a  tragic  termination, 
and  expected  to  see  most  of  the  quadrupeds  killed ; 
but  the  Indians  assured  me  that  the  fishing  would 
soon  be  finished,  and  that  only  the  first  attack  of  the 
gymnoti  was  really  formidable.  In  fact,  after  the 
conflict  had  lasted  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  the  mules 
and  horses  appeared  less  alarmed  ;  they  no  longer 
erected  their  manes,  and  their  eyes  expressed  less 
pain  and  terror.     One  no  longer  saw  them  struck 


SCENES   AT    THE    FISHERY.  7| 

down  in  the  water,  and  the  eels,  instead  of  swimming 
to  the  attack,  retreated  from  their  assailants  and  ap- 
proached the  shore.  The  Indians  now^  began  to  use 
their  missiles ;  and  by  means  of  the  long  cord  at- 
tached to  the  harpoon,  jerked  the  fish  out  of  the 
water  without  receiving  any  shock  so  long  as  the 
cord  was  dry." 

The  electric  eel,  although  much  dreaded  by  man, 
is  greatly  esteemed  by  gourmands.  It  is  necessary, 
however,  to  deprive  the  fish  of  those  parts  constitut- 
ing the  electrical  apparatus,  which  are  rather  spongy 
and  unpalatable.  Its  bones,  administered  in  the  form 
of  a  decoction,  are  said  to  act  powerfully  in  cases  of 
difficult  parturition.  For  this  object,  the  spine  of 
the  fish  is  carefully  preserved  suspended  from  the 
thatch  roof  of  the  huts  in  that  region  where  the  ser- 
vices of  accoucheurs  are  totally  unknown. 

Among  the  promiscuous  assemblage  of  fish  scat- 
tered on  the  sand  beach,  ready  to  transfix  the  hand 
that  might  inadvertently  touch  them,  were  many 
sting-rays.  This  species,  like  its  prototype  the  famous 
"  Devil-fish  "  of  the  Caribbean  Sea,  is  quite  circular 
and  flat,  with  a  tail  over  a  foot  in  length,  very  thick 
at  the  base  and  tapering  towards  the  end.  Near  the 
middle  on  the  upper  part,  it  is  armed  with  a  long 
and  sharp-pointed  bone  or  sting,  finely  serrated  on 
two  sides,  which  the  fish  can  raise  or  lay  flat  at  will. 
When  disturbed,  the  ray,  by  a  quick  movement  of 
the  tail,  directs  its  sting  towards  the  object,  which  it 
seldom  fails  to  reach.  The  wound  thus  inflicted  is  so 
severe,  that  the  whole  nervous  system  is  convulsed, 
the  person  becoming  rigid  and  benumbed  in  a  few 


72  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

moments.  Even  long  after  the  violent  effects  of  tlie 
wound  have  subsided,  the  part  affected  retains  a  slug- 
gish ulceration,  which  has  in  many  instances  baffled 
the  skill  of  the  best  surgeons.  Some  creeks  and  la- 
goons of  stagnant  water  are  so  infested  with  them, 
that  it  is  almost  certain  destruction  to  venture  into 
them.  They  usually  frequent  the  shallow  banks  of 
muddy  pools,  where  they  may  be  seen  at  all  times 
watching  for  prey ;  and,  as  if  conscious  of  their 
powers,  scarcely  deign  to  move  off  when  approached 
by  man.  They,  also,  are  considered  good  eating,  on 
which  account  they  frequently  fall  a  prey  to  hungry 
boys  and  vultures,  who  wage  constant  war  upon  them 
with  spear  and  talon. 

Mr.  Thomas  and  I  had  plenty  of  occupation  in 
sketching  the  various  specimens  before  us ;  but  the 
speedy  approach  of  night  compelled  us  to  relinquish 
our  agreeable  pastime  ;  thus  many  curious  fish  which 
we  would  have  liked  to  preserve,  had  to  be  consigned 
to  the  frying-pan  instead  of  to  our  portfolios. 

In  the  mean  time  our  able  cook,  Monico,  and  half 
a  dozen  of  Llanero  assistants — all  of  whom  are  more  or 
less  accomplished  in  the  art  of  cooking  in  their  own  pe- 
culiar style — were  busily  engaged  throughout  the  af- 
ternoon preparing  the  spoils  of  the  day  for  our  supper. 
A  fat  calf  was  also  killed  in  honor  of  the  occasion, 
and  roasted  before  a  blazing  fire  under  the  trees.  Tlie 
Llaneros  are  quite  skilled  in  roasting  an  ox  or  calf, 
which  they  divide  in  sections  according  to  the  flavor 
of  each  particular  morceau.  These  they  string  upon 
long  wooden  spits,  and  keep  them  turning  before  the 


SCENES    AT    THE    FISHERY.  73 

fire  until  sufficiently  cooked.  The  ribs  of  the  animal, 
taken  out  entire,  usually  form  the  most  favorite  mor- 
sel ;  but  I  would  recommend  to  future  travellers  in 
that  country  the  entreverado^  made  up  of  the  animal's 
entrails,  such  as  the  liver,  heart,  lungs,  and  kidneys, 
cut  into  pieces  of  convenient  size  and  spitted  ;  then 
enveloped  in  the  fat  mesenteric  membrane  of  the  an- 
imal, and  cooked  in  its  own  juices. 

In  addition  to  this  abundant  supply  of  came 
asada,  we  had  fish  in  every  style,  smoked,  broiled,  en 
sancocho^  (bouilli,)  &c.,  with  plenty  of  bread  prepared 
by  the  wife  and  daughters  of  our  equerry.  Just  as 
every  one  had  eaten,  as  he  supposed,  his  fill,  one  of 
our  assistants  made  liis  appearance  bending  under  the 
weight  of  a  boiling  caldron  containing  a  rich  bouilli 
of  cherna  heads,  and  urged  us  to  partake  of  his  hum- 
ble fare.  Although  this  was  rather  reversing  the 
order  of  courses,  we  were  finally  prevailed  upon  to 
taste  the  soup  he  had  prepared  with  so  much  care  for 
us ;  and  no  sooner  was  the  rich  broth  tasted  by  our 
epicurean  party,  than  it  was  forthwith  devoured  with 
unimpaired  appetites  ;  but  my  enjoyment  of  the  broth 
was  somewhat  spoiled  by  coming  in  contact  with  a 
row  of  omniverous-looking  teeth,  which  so  reminded 
me  of  a  human  skull,  that  I  was  constrained  to 
throw  my  portion  away,  although  I  must  confess 
that  I  never  tasted  soup  superior  to  it. 

4t 


CHAPTER  YI. 

WILD      HORSES. 

The  fishing  over,  tlie  main  object  of  our  expedition 
to  La  Yegiiera  was  next  attended  to,  namely,  that  of 
adding  to  our  madrina  of  supernumerary  horses  from 
the  abundant  stock  of  this  farm.  An  entire  day  was 
passed  in  riding  through  its  enchanting  groves  and 
meadows,  inspecting  the  numerous  droves  of  mares, 
guarded  by  their  proud  jpadrotes  or  stallions.  Each 
troop  is  under  the  control  of  one  of  these,  who  not 
only  prevent  their  mingling  with  other  packs,  but  en- 
deavor also  to  appropriate  all  the  other  mares  they 
can  kidnap  from  their  neighbors.  The  conquest,  how- 
ever, is  not  obtained  without  a  determined  resistance 
from  their  rightful  lords,  which  occasions  fierce  com- 
bats between  the  rivals.  "When  any  stranger  ap- 
proaches, the  whole  troop  boldly  advances  towards 
the  object  of  their  alarm,  neighing,  snorting,  and 
throwing  their  slim  and  beautiful  forms  into  the  most 
graceful  attitudes.  When  at  the  distance  of  a  hun- 
^  dred  paces,  they  all  halt,  and  five  or  six  scouts  arc 
detached  from  the  main  body  to  reconnoitre.    These 


;■.     ^' 


WILD   HORSES.  75 

approacli  still  nearer,  and  stretcliing  tlieir  necks  and 
ears,  seem,  with  wild  glance  and  cautious  movement, 
to  inquire  from  the  stranger  the  object  of  this  intru- 
sion, while,  in  the  mean  time,  the  stallion  keeps  the 
whole  troop  in  readiness  for  retreat  in  case  of  pursuit. 
When  this  last  occurs,  the  scouts  hastily  incorporate 
themselves  with  the  main  body,  while  the  stallion 
orders  the  retreat  as  skilfully  as  a  good  general  might 
under  similar  circumstances,  stopping  occasionally  to 
watch  the  enemy's  movements,  but  never  resuming 
the  lead  until  the  troop  is  out  of  danger.     When  thus 
wildly  coursing  over  the  prairies  in  packs  of  one  or 
two  hundred,  headed  by  their  respective  stallions,  in- 
spired, as  it  were,  by  the  freedom  of  the  plain,  noth- 
ing can  surpass  their  magnificent  appearance,  nor  the 
proud  air  of  liberty  with  which  they  snuff  the  passing 
breeze.     We  one  day  brought  to  the  Kanch  a  large 
drove,  from  which  we  selected  those  required  for  the 
expedition.     This  occupied  the  men  for  a  couple  of 
days,  as  it  was  discovered  that  most  of  the  animals 
were  in  bad  condition  from  burrs  and  garrapatas, 
another  destructive  insect  peculiar  to  those  places,  of 
the  size  and  shape  of  a  bed-bug,  and  very  distressing 
to  animals.     It  adheres  with  such  tenacity  to  the  skin 
of  the  poor  brutes,  that  it  requires  to  be  pulled  by 
hand  in  order  to  detach  it ;  if  left  undisturbed,  it  will 
suck  the  blood  until  its  body  becomes  distended  to 
many  times  the  natural  size.     It  attacks  all  kinds  of 
animals,  but  more  especially  horses  :  these  last  suffer 
in  consequence,  from  malignant  sores  about  their  ears, 
which  soon  wither  and  drop  off. 

Tlie  horses  were  so  wild  that  they  had  to  be  broken 


76  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

in  before  thej  could  be  of  any  service.  Tliis  opera- 
tion— which  might  as  well  be  termed  breaking  down 
horses,  as  a  great  number  are  ruined  by  it — affords 
the  Llaneros  a  fine  opportunity  for  testing  their  ability 
in  coping  with  this,  the  most  spirited  animal  in  the 
world.  It  is  also  undoubtedly  one  of  the  most  diffi- 
cult performances  on  cattle-farms,  requiring  strong 
nerve  and  great  skill  on  the  part  of  the  rider  to  with- 
stand the  kicks  and  plunges  of  the  animal  and  retain 
his  seat.  The  method  practised  in  the  Llanos  differs 
but  little  from  that  of  the  Pampas  of  Buenos  Ayres, 
so  ably  described  by  Sir  Francis  Head,  Darwin,  and 
other  eminent  writers.  I  will  quote  some  passages 
from  the  first  of  these  authors  respecting  this  diver- 
tisement  among  the  Gauchos ;  their  method  I  specially 
commend  to  the  numerous  disciples  of  the  renowned 
Earey,  who  has  so  astonished  the  Old  World  and  the 
!N'ew  with  his  wonderful  skill  in  horse-taminsc. 

"  Tlie  corral  was  quite  full  of  horses,  most  of  which 
were  young  ones,  about  three  and  four  years  old.  The 
capataz,  mounted  on  a  strong,  steady  horse,  rode  into 
the  corral,  and  threw  his  lazo  over  the  neck  of  a  young 
liorse,  and  dragged  him  to  the  gate.  For  some  time  he 
w^as  very  unwilling  to  leave  his  comrades,  but  the 
moment  he  was  forced  out  of  the  corral,  his  first  idea 
was  to  gallop  away ;  however,  the  jerk  of  the  lazo 
checked  him  in  a  most  effectual  manner.  The  peons 
now  ran  after  him  on  foot,  and  threw  the  lazo  over 
his  four  legs,  just  above  the  fetlocks,  and  twitching 
it,  they  pulled  his  legs  from  under  him  so  suddenly, 
that  I  really  thought  the  fall  he  got  had  killed  him. 
In  an  instant  a  Gaucho  was  seated  upon  his  head,  and 


WILD    UORSES. 


17 


with  his  long  knife,  in  a  few  seconds  he  cut  ofi"  the 
whole  of  the  horse's  mane,  while  another  cut  the  hair 
from  the  end  of  his  tail.  This  thej  told  me  is  a  mark 
that  the  horse  has  been  once  mounted.  They  then 
put  a  piece  of  hide  into  his  mouth  to  serve  as  a  bit, 
and  a  strong  hide-halter  on  his  head.  The  Gaucho 
who  was  to  mount,  arranged  his  spurs,  which  were 
unusually  long  and  sharp,  and  while  two  men  held 
the  animal  by  his  ears,  he  put  on  the  saddle,  which  he 
girthed  extremely  tight ;  he  then  caught  hold  of  the 
horse's  ear  and  in  an  instant  vaulted  into  the  saddle  ; 
upon  which  the  man  who  was  holding  the  horse  by 
the  halter,  threw  the  end  of  it  to  the  rider,  and  from 
that  moment  no  one  seemed  to  take  any  further  notice 
of  him.  The  horse  instantly  began  to  jump  in  a  man- 
ner which  made  it  very  difficult  for  the  rider  to  keep 
his  seat,  and  quite  different  from  the  kick  or  plunge 
of  an  English  horse  ;  however,  the  Gaucho's  spur  soon 
set  him  going,  and  off  he  galloped,  doing  every  thing 
in  his  power  to  throw  his  rider.  Another  horse  was 
immediately  brought  from  the  corral,  and  so  quick  was 
the  operation,  that  twelve  Gauchos  were  mounted  in 
a  space  which,  I  think,  hardly  exceeded  an  hour." 

"It  was  singular  to  see  the  different  manner  in 
which  the  different  horses  behaved.  Some  would 
actually  scream  while  the  Gauchos  were  girthing  the 
saddle  upon  their  backs ;  some  would  instantly  lie 
down  and  roll  over  it ;  while  some  would  stand  with- 
out being  held,  their  legs  stiff  and  in  unnatural  direc- 
tions, their  necks  half  bent  towards  their  tails,  and 
looking  so  vicious  and  sulky,  that  I  could  not  help 
thinkins:  I  could  not  have  mounted  one  of  them  for 


78  WILD   SCENES   IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

any  reward  that  could  be  oiFered  me  ;  and  tliey  were 
invariably  the  most  difficult  to  subdue." 

By  repeating  this  treatment  a  number  of  times, 
and  a  sound  thrashing  with  the  chwparro  whenever 
they  prove  refractory,  the  riders  finally  succeed  in 
conquering  the  indomitable  spirit  of  their  steeds, 
although  they  long  retain  a  vicious  propensity  to 
occasionally  practise  their  old  tricks,  either  by  throw- 
ing themselves  backwards  upon  their  riders,  or  sud- 
denly plunging  headlong  at  a  furious  rate.  Another 
dangerous  habit  is  that  of  whirling  rapidly,  when  least 
expected,  in  an  opposite  direction  to  the  one  intended 
by  the  rider,  who,  unless  very  expert,  is  unseated  and 
liable  to  have  his  neck  broken.  But,  when  these 
horses  are  at  length  thoroughly  broken  in,  there  are 
few  in  the  world  capable  of  performing  their  duty  so 
well  as  those  trained  in  the  Llanos  of  Yenezuela. 

My  allusion  on  a  former  page  to  the  renowned 
Earey,  recalls  to  my  memory  the  name  of  Santos 
Nieves,  a  famous  picador  of  San  Pablo,  whose  ingen- 
ious mode  of  entrapping  horses  appears  to  have  been 
formed  on  the  same  principle  as  that  which  has  char- 
acterized Mr.  Rarey's  method. 

Instead  of  dashing  after  the  droves,  with  lazo  in 
hand,  and  wild  shouts,  as  is  usual  when  the  capture 
of  one  or  more  horses  is  intended,  Santos  Nieves  made 
use  of  every  precaution  to  avoid  giving  these  shy  crea- 
tures the  least  alarm ;  and  so  successfully  were  all  his 
expeditions  executed,  that  he  achieved  for  himself  the 
tremendous  reputation  of  being  a  horse-witch.  His 
plan  was,  however,  the  simplest  possible.  If  the 
object  was  to  capture  only  a  single  animal — which 


WILD   HORSES.  79 

feat  is  peculiarly  difficult  to  accomplish  in  woody 
places  especially — lie  made  preparations  as  if  for  a 
long  journey,  previous  to  seeking  the  haunts  of  his  in- 
tended captive.  Having  sojourned  in  San  Pablo  for 
over  half  a  century,  he  was  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
all  their  accustomed  places  of  resort.  The  first  imj)ulse 
of  the  animal  on  finding  himself  followed,  was  to  scam- 
per off;  but  the  patient  picador,  instead  of  hurrying  in 
pursuit,  quietly  remained  on  the  same  spot,  watching 
and  waiting  the  next  move  of  the  animal.  Presently 
the  horse,  seeing  he  was  not  pursued,  would  conclude 
to  return  and  reconnoitre  the  object  of  his  alarm.  Sat- 
isfied from  the  quiet  attitude  of  the  man,  that  nothing 
need  be  feared  from  him,  the  horse  resumed  his  brous- 
ing  near  by.  Again  the  man  cautiously  and  slowly 
advances,  until  perceived  anew  by  the  horse,  who,  as 
before,  beats  a  rapid  retreat.  Impelled  by  curiosity, 
he  returned  for  the  third  time;  again  inspects  the 
picador,  who  remains  motionless  as  before,  upon  seeing 
which,  the  animal  concludes  he  may  safely  continue 
his  meal.  Tliese  manoeuvrings,  again  and  again  re- 
peated, usually  occupied  an  entire  day,  towards  the 
close  of  which,  if  the  horse  were  not  very  scary,  the 
picador,  with  cautious  approach  and  gentle  words, 
succeeded  in  placing  the  halter  around  his  neck. 
Tlie  extreme  coyness,  however,  of  most  of  these  ani- 
mals, frequently  compelled  Santos  Nieves  to  camp  out 
for  the  night  and  resume  his  pursuit,  not  only  the  fol- 
lowing morning,  but,  if  necessary,  for  three  or  more 
consecutive  days,  at  the  end  of  which  he  always  re- 
turned in  triumph  with  his  captive  to  the  farm. 

The  relative  value  of  these  horses  depends  princi- 


30  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

pally  on  tlieir  form,  color,  and  gait.  The  Llaneros  are 
quite  skilful  in  teaching  them  a  variety  of  paces  and 
evolutions,  wliicli  are  as  essential  to  their  hazardous 
occupations,  as  is  the  helm  to  the  mariner.  For  war 
purposes,  they  are  especially  invaluable,  as  was  prac- 
tically demonstrated  in  the  long  struggle  with  the 
Spaniards,  who  not  being  equally  expert  in  the  man- 
agement of  their  steeds,  were,  in  consequence,  often  at 
the  mercy  of  their  antagonists.  A  good  charger  must 
be  endowed  with  an  easy  mouth,  good  wind,  and  quick 
movement  to  either  side,  so  that  when  pursued  by 
an  enemy,  he  can  be  made  to  whirl  suddenly  to  the 
attack  if  necessary.  The  same  rule  applies  to  those 
used  in  chasing  wild  animals,  especially  bulls,  wdiich, 
when  hotly  pursued,  often  face  about  and  charge  their 
assailants. 

It  is  equally  indispensable  in  warm  climates,  that 
a  horse  should  possess  an  easy  gait  for  travelling.  In 
this  respect,  they  are  trained  to  the  particular  fancy 
or  requirements  of  the  rider.  Some  prefer  a  gentle 
trot  on  a  long  journey,  as  being  the  least  fatiguing  to 
the  horse;  but,  for  city  riding,  or  short  journeys,  an 
amble,  rack,  or  pasitrote — something  between  both — 
is  usually  adopted.  The  test  of  a  good  pacing  horse 
consists  in  "  the  rider  being  able  to  carry  a  glass  of 
water  in  his  hand  without  spilling,"  while  that  of  a 
first-rate  charger  is  to  stop,  when  at  the  height  of 
his  speed,  on  the  slightest  pull  of  the  bridle. 

Great  regard  is  also  paid  to  the  color  of  horses ; 
piebald,  cream,  and  the  various  shades  of  white,  are 
usually  preferred.  But,  where  great  endurance  and 
strength  are  requisite,  connoisseurs  generally  select 


WILD   HORSES.  g^ 

those  of  a  darker  color.  Their  price  in  the  country  is 
greatly  enhanced  of  late  in  consequence  of  a  devas- 
tating disease,  which  has  been  raging  among  them  for 
several  years  past.  Horses  were  so  plentiful  in  the 
Llanos  at  one  time,  that  a  large  export  trade  in  their 
hides  was  carried  on  with  foreign  countries.  A  good 
horse,  which  then  only  brought  five  dollars,  now  costs 
from  eighty  to  one  hundred,  and  even  more,  according 
to  the  fancy  of  the  parties  interested. — Great  numbers 
of  the  inhabitants  were  also  carried  away  by  the  same 
scourge,  which  swept  over  the  land  like  the  cholera, 
not  even  sparing  the  fish  in  the  rivers. 

This  frightful  epidemic,  which  the  Llaneros  have 
appropriately  styled  Peste,  or  plague,  is  supposed  to 
have  originated  in  the  great  primeval  forest  of  San 
Camilo,  at  the  head  waters  of  the  Apure,  from  decom- 
position of  the  vegetable  detritus  accumulated  there 
during  centuries.  From  thence,  travelling  eastward 
along  the  course  of  the  river,  the  epidemic  continued 
its  ravages  among  the  inhabitants  of  the  towns  and 
villages  situated  on  the  right  bank,  attacking  first  one 
place  and  then  another,  until  the  whole  province 
scarcely  escaped  depopulation.  Even  when  the  mor- 
tality abated,  the  country,  which  until  then  had  pos- 
sessed a  most  healthful  climate,  never  recovered  its 
former  salubrity ;  fevers  of  a  more  or  less  dangerous 
character  prevail  from  that  time,  especially  towards 
the  end  of  the  rainy  season,  while  the  raising  of  horses 
has  been  entirely  abandoned  in  consequence. 

The  first  symptoms  of  the  epidemic  appeared 
among  the  crocodiles,  whose  hideous  carcasses  might 
then  be  seen  floating  down  the  stream  in  such  pro- 


82  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

digious  numbers,  that  both  the  waters  and  air  of  that 
fine  region  were  tainted  with  their  effluvium.  It  was 
observed  that  they  were  first  seized  with  a  violent  fit 
of  coughing,  followed  by  a  black  vomit  which  com- 
pelled them  to  quit  their  watery  home,  and  finally  find 
a  grave  amongst  the  thickets  on  the  river  banks. 
The  disease  next  attacked  the  fish  and  other  inhabit- 
ants of  the  water,  with  equal  violence,  until  it  was 
feared  the  streams  would  be  depopulated.  The  fearful 
mortality  among  them  can  be  better  estimated  from' 
the  fact  that,  for  more  than  a  month,  the  rippling 
waves  of  that  noble  river,  the  Apure,  were  constantly 
washing  down  masses  of  putrefaction,  its  placid  sur- 
face being  by  them  actually  hidden  from  view  for 
several  weeks. 

The  next  victims  were  the  pachidermata  of  the 
swamps,  and  it  was  a  pitiable  sight  to  see  the  sluggish 
chiguires  (capyvaras)  and  the  grizzly  wild-boars 
dragging  their  paralyzed  hind-quarters  after  them ; 
hence  the  name  of  derrengaderay  applied  to  this 
disease. 

Not  even  monkeys  in  their  aerial  retreats,  escaped 
the  contagion,  and  their  melancholy  cries  resounded 
day  and  night  through  the  woods  like  wailings  of  the 
eternally  lost. 

It  is  a  singular  fact,  that  while  the  scourge  did  not 
spare  any  of  the  countless  droves  of  horses  roaming 
the  savannas  of  the  Apure,  and  adjacent  plains,  don- 
keys and  horned  cattle  were  seldom,  if  ever,  attacked, 
so  that,  by  their  aid,  the  owners  of  cattle-farms  were 
enabled  to  prevent  the  entire  dispersion  of  their  herds. 

A  curious  incident  related  in  connection  with  this 


WILD   HORSES.  83 

public  calamity,  is  yerj  current  in  the  Llanos,  respect- 
ing the  origin  of  the  disease  among  horses.  Eugenio 
Torralva,  a  man  of  uncommon  industry,  although  of 
humble  extraction,  had  accumulated  quite  a  hand- 
some fortune  by  the  raising  of  cattle,  on  the  borders 
of  La  Portuguesa ;  but  his  chief  wealth  consisted  in 
horses,  on  which  he  greatly  prided  himself — so  much 
so  that,  on  one  occasion,  while  a  distinguised  person- 
age was  passing  through  his  estate,  Torralva  directed 
his  attention  to  the  numerous  droves  grazing  in  the 
plains;  then  turning  to  his  guest,  who  appeared 
equally  delighted  with  the  sight,  said  to  him,  "  Think 
you.  General,  that  I  shall  ever  be  in  want  of  horses  ? 
Ni  que  Dios  qitiera!  (Not  even  if  God  Almighty 
wished  it!)"  he  blasphemously  added.  Two  years 
later,  the  witness  to  this  impious  boast  was  again  on 
his  way  to  the  Llanos  :  near  San  Juan  he  met  an  old 
man,  apparently  in  a  very  destitute  condition,  riding 
a  donkey.  ISTot  knowing  who  the  wayfarer  was,  he 
bowed,  as  is  customary,  and  rode  on  without  taking 
further  notice  of  the  old  man  or  his  uncouth  equip- 
ment ;  whereupon  the  stranger,  waving  his  hand  to 
him,  cried,  "Why,  General,  have  you  already  for- 
gotten your  friend  Torralva  ? "  He  that  "  giveth  and 
taketh  away  "  had  deprived  him  of  every  horse,  and 
the  once  wealthy  farmer  was  now  comxpelled  to  travel 
on  an  ass.  It  is  asserted  by  the  Llaneros  that  soon 
after  he  uttered  the  above-mentioned  blasphemy,  the 
Peste  broke  out  among  his  immense  stock,  from 
whence  they  say  the  disease  spread  to  other  farms, 
until  the  contagion  became  general. 
■     It  is  not  a  little  singular  that  although  the  horse 


34:  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

was  unknown  to  the  aborigines  of  America,  at  the 
time  of  its  conquest,  the  researches  of  Darwin  and 
other  eminent  geologists  have  shown  them  to  have 
existed  in  vast  numbers  on  that  continent  contempora- 
neously with  the  Mastodon,  Megatherium,  Mjlodon, 
and  other  extinct  animals.  "  Certainly,  it  is  a  marvel- 
lous fact,  in  the  history  of  mammalia,"  observes  that 
assiduous  explorer,  "  that  in  South  America  a  native 
horse  should  have  lived  and  disappeared,  to  be  suc- 
ceeded, in  after  ages,  by  the  countless  herds  descended 
from  the  few  introduced  by  the  Spanish  colonists !  " 

In  general  these  animals  are  of  middling  size,  and, 
like  their  progenitor,  the  Andalusian  horse,  endowed 
with  a  fiery  spirit,  (if  not  checked  by  ill-treatment  or 
abuse,)  and  surprising  endurance,  especially  during 
the  exciting  chase  of  wild  cattle,  when  they  are  kept 
in  constant  motion  for  many  consecutive  days. 

The  steed  of  the  Llanero,  like  his  master,  is  accus- 
tomed to  the  inclemency  of  the  seasons,  being  through- 
out the  year  kept  in  the  open  air,  but  always  within 
reach :  hence  the  well-known  adage,  El  ojo  del  amo 
engorda  el  cdballo^  (the  eye  of  the  master  will  fatten 
the  horse ;)  which  adage  implies  the  advantage  of 
keeping  a  sharp  lookout  on  other  things  besides  horses. 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

ACROSS     THE     PAMPAS. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  fifth  day,  we  left  the 
Ranch  at  La  YegUera  to  journey  southward,  followed 
by  our  long  train  of  baggage  mules  and  relay  horses, 
our  good-natured  host  and  keeper,  Agapito,  escorting 
us  for  some  distance  in  the  double  capacity  of  guide 
and  entertainer.  "Without  his  assistance  it  would 
have  been  difficult  for  us  to  proceed  on  our  journey, 
which  lay  across  a  rolling  prairie,  covered  in  some 
places  by  magnificent  groves  of  tall  timber  trees  and 
a  vast  multitude  of  slender,  towering  palms,  which, 
by  the  glimmering  light  of  the  stars,  appeared  like  a 
mighty  fleet  of  ships  guarding  the  entrance  to  some 
giant  harbor.  Although  the  morning  was  dark,  and 
there  was  properly  speaking  no  road,  but  only  a 
beaten  track  branching  oif  in  all  directions,  our 
guide,  who  knew  every  inch  of  the  ground,  led  us 
on  without  once  turning  to  the  right  or  left,  merrily 
chanting  some  of  the  lively  ballads  of  the  Llanos. 
Occasionally  he  was  joined  by  other  bards  equally 


86  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

distinguislied  for  their  powers  of  voice  and  versifica- 
tion, thus  producing  very  animated  choruses  of  a 
character  peculiarly  wild. 

As  the  sun  rose  in  the  horizon,  we  came  upon 
another  extensive  plateau,  the  Mesa  del  Eastro, 
stretching  for  several  miles,  unbroken  by  a  single 
tree  or  shrub,  but  alive  with  numberless  herds  of 
cattle  roaming  in  all  directions,  while  flocks  of  birds 
of  every  plumage,  all  new  to  me,  flew  aflfrighted  at 
our  approach,  filling  the  air  with  their  w^ild,  peculiar 
cries.  Among  these,  the  Taro-taro,  a  large  bird  of 
the  Ibis  tribe,  w^hich  derives  its  name  from  its  bell- 
like notes,  and  the  Carretero  or  carter,  a  beautiful 
species  of  goose  with  variegated  plumage  and  crimson 
bill,  particularly  attracted  my  attention.  The  latter 
is  named  from  the  rumbling  noise  it  makes  when  on 
the  wing,  similar  in  sound  to  the  rumbling  of  cart- 
w^heels  on  hard  ground. 

Continuing  our  march  over  this  seemingly  inter- 
minable plain,  we  at  length  descried  in  the  horizon 
the  village  of  El  Eastro,  where  we  purposed  break- 
fasting and  spending  the  hottest  part  of  the  day.  We 
were  cordially  received  and  entertained  at  the  house 
of  Senor  Llovera,  a  wealthy  neighbor  of  ours,  whose 
lands  extended  from  the  southern  boundary  of  San 
Pablo  to  this  village. 

El  Eastro  is  noted  for  the  beauty  and  fresh  com- 
plexion of  the  w^omen,  in  spite  of  an  ardent  climate ; 
and  the  males  for  their  singular  propensity  to  abstract 
the  hair  from  the  manes  and  tails  of  horses  stopping 
at  their  village.  This  they  often  practise  under  the 
very  noses  of  the  unfortunate  owners,  for  the  purpose 


ACROSS  THE  PAMPAS.  87 

of  converting  it  into  halters  for  tlieir  own  steeds. 
Thus  many  a  fine  animal,  which  is  supposed  to  be  se- 
curely quartered  for  the  night,  is  found  next  morning 
so  shamefully  disfigured  that  he  can  scarcely  be  rec- 
ognized by  his  owner,  who  swears  by  all  the  saints 
in  the  calendar  to  take  summary  vengeance  on  the 
first  rastrero"^  w^ho  may  chance  to  cross  his  path. 
Fortunately  we  liad  no  cause  of  complaint,  as  our 
droves  were  constantly  under  the  surveillance  of  a 
dozen  or  more  vigilant  keepers,  perfectly  au  fait  to 
the  peculiar  taste  of  that  community. 

The  beautiful  complexion  of  the  women  is  the 
more  extraordinary  from  the  fact  that  this  village, 
wdiich  stands  on  tlie  southern  edge  of  the  plateau,  is 
entirely  exposed  to  the  glare  of  a  tropical  sun,  and  the 
hot  breezes  of  the  east.  I  nowhere  met  during  my 
journey,  such  rosy  cheeks  and  sparkling  eyes  as  in 
this  miserable  hamlet.  I  could  almost  fancy  them 
the  fairies  of  the  wilderness,  bewitching  the  unsus- 
pecting traveller,  while  their  perfidious  helpmates 
practise  their  rascally  tricks. 

These  high  terraces  possess  the  advantage  of  being 
free  from  those  noxious  exhalations  w^hich  render  the 
plains  below  so  unhealthy  at  certain  seasons.  Owing 
to  the  nature  of  the  soil,  mostly  composed  of  a  loose 
conglomerate  or  shingle,  no  permanent  deposits  of 
stagnant  water  are  formed,  endangering  the  health  of 
the  inhabitants,  who  are  often  blessed  wdth  a  "  green 
old  age"  and  the  possession  of  unimpaired  mental 
and  bodily  faculties.     Many  are  the  instances  where 

*  Eastrcro — a  native  of  El  Rastro — literally,  a  mean  rogue. 


g3  WILD    SCENES    IX    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

men  attaining  seventy  and  eighty  years  are  still  able 
to  take  part  in  the  hardy  ventures  of  the  country 
along  with  their  more  youthful  companions.  Among 
our  own  party  we  had  several  individuals  of  this  class 
who,  after  experiencing  all  the  vicissitudes  of  a  de- 
structive war,  had  seen  many  a  hot  summer  roll  by, 
and  camped  out  amidst  the  drenching  showers  of  the 
rainy  season,  without  any  material  change  in  their 
physique.  Of  these  were  Santos  Nieves,  the  horse 
tamer,  whose  only  food  consisted  of  jerked  beef, 
cheese,  and  papelon^  upon  which  he  had  thrived  ad- 
mirably up  to  the  age  of  seventy ;  Crisostomo,  the 
negro  major  domo  of  San  Pablo,  who  had  lost  all 
recollection  of  his  earlier  days ;  Conrado,  the  horse 
driver,  whose  age  and  experience  in  conducting  our 
refractory  madrinas  had  entitled  him  to  the  revered 
appelation  of  taita  or  father.  But  the  most  extra- 
ordinary instance  of  longevity  which  has  come  to  my 
ears,  is  in  the  Monagas  family,  also  hailing  from  those 
regions,  the  age  and  number  of  whose  members  se- 
riously alarmed  the  republic  at  one  time;  for  the 
multitude  of  their  rapacious  demands  appeared  end- 
less. Tlie  patriarch  of  the  family  is  said  to  have  at- 
tained the  moderate  age  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
years,  yet  was  able  to  scour  the  savannas  on  horse- 
back after  the  cattle  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  The 
memorable  Jose  Tadeo,  the  late  Dictator  and  tyrant 
of  the  republic,  is  yet  in  his  prime  at  the  age  of 
seventy-nine,  while  his  brothers  Gregorio  and  Jose 
Francisco,  whose  vandalic  career  of  plunder  and  as- 
sassination was — happily  for  the  country  that  gave 
them  birth — cut  off  by  the  late  revolution,  did  not 


ACROSS  THE  PAMPAS.  gQ 

show  the  least  signs  of  unabated  vigor  at  the  time  of 
their  death,  although  one  of  them  was  considerably 
older  than  Tadeo.  And  last,  though  not  least,  the 
renowned  zambo  general,  Sotillo,  the  pet  bull-dog  of 
the  family,  to  which,  however,  he  bears  no  other  re- 
lationship than  that  existing  among  rogues  of  the 
same  stamp :  although  now  in  his  eightieth  year,  he 
is  able  to  carry  on  a  successful  partisan  warfare 
against  the  existing  government.  "Without  a  roof  to 
shelter  him,  and  no  other  equipment  of  war  than  the 
lance  and  horse,  this  savage  chieftain,  for  such  he  is 
by  birth  and  education,  has  set  at  defiance  all  the 
forces  sent  in  his  pursuit,  and  nearly  brought  the 
country  to  the  verge  of  barbarism  in  his  strivings  to 
uphold  the  iniquitous  claims  of  this  rapacious  family. 
Fierce  in  looks  and  menacing  in  tone,  with  a  head 
more  like  a  polar  bear  than  a  South  American  savage, 
he  has  become  for  a  long  time  the  terror  of  the  eastern 
provinces,  which  are  in  constant  dread  of  his  sudden 
attacks — now  cutting  off  small  detachments  of  troops 
and  defenceless  individuals,  now  retreating  to  his 
fastness  amidst  the  arid  plains  of  the  Alto  Llano  at 
the  approach  of  a  superior  force.  He  has  even  suc- 
ceeded in  defeating  such  on  two  or  three  occasions  by 
his  cunning  manoeuvring  and  the  rapidity  of  his 
movements.  During  half  a  century,  his  favorite  oc- 
cupation has  been  hunting  wild  cattle  and  waging  a 
guerilla  warfare  against  society,  which  too  often  has 
been  compelled  to  yield  to  the  savage  demands  of 
-this  Bedouin  of  the  Llanos. 

Having  pai'taken  of  a  substantial  breakfast,  we 


90 


WILD   SCENES   IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


bade  adieu  to  our  kind  host,  and  again  betook  our- 
selves to  our  long  and  weary  journey  across  the  Pam- 
pas. Descending  to  tlie  plain,  stretching  for  a  thou- 
sand miles  to  the  foot  of  the  Bolivian  Andes,  we  at 
once  entered  into  an  entirely  different  country,  show- 
ing unmistakable  proofs  of  a  diluvial  origin.  The 
soil,  mostly  a  mixture  of  clay  and  sand,  no  longer 
offended  the  feet  of  our  horses  with  those  extensive 
beds  of  pebbles  so  trying  to  the  poor  beasts.  The 
vegetation,  also,  whenever  favored  by  some  accident 
of  the  ground,  showed  a  marked  difference  in  charac- 
ter. The  thorny  mimosas,  which  only  thrive  in  a 
gravelly  soil,  here  disappeared  altogether,  and  were 
replaced  by  dense  groves  of  laurel  and  other  balsam- 
iferous  trees.  The  Copernicia  palms,  so  extensively 
used  for  thatching  and  other  economic  purposes,  re- 
appeared at  first  in  a  few  scattered  clumps,  and  after- 
wards in  countless  multitudes,  literally  closing  the 
perspective  with  their  tall,  slender  trunks.  Tliis 
beautiful  palm  is  known  in  the  country  under  various 
names,  according  to  the  uses  made  of  its  separate 
parts.  These  are  almost  as  numerous  as  the  leaves 
of  its  dense,  symmetrical  foliage.  Thus,  by  the  rural 
architect  of  the  Llanos,  it  is  csiiled  palrna  de  cohija — 
thatch  palm.  When  its  leaves  are  plaited  and  neatly 
braided  into  hats  that  never  wear  out,  it  bears  the 
name  ofpalma  de  sombrero  ;  and  when  the  same  are 
employed  in  driving  off  the  myriads  of  flies  that  in- 
fest the  premises,  or  in  fanning  the  heated  dweller  in 
those  regions,  it  is  called  palma  dbanico  /  and  so  on 
through  a  long  catalogue. 

A  house  thatched  with  this  palm  is  not  only  im- 


ACROSS  THE  PAMPAS.  91 

pervious  to  the  pouring  sliowers  of  the  tropics,  but 
against  fire  also,  as  it  is  nearly  incombustible :  a  hot 
coal  dropped  on  it  will  only  burn  slowly  where  it 
falls,  without  spreading  or  raising  any  flame.  It  is, 
moreover,  very  durable  and  cool  throughout  the  hot- 
test months.  All  the  fences  and  corrals  of  the  region 
where  it  abounds  are  made  of  the  entire  trunks  of  this 
palm,  while  the  cattle  find  a  grateful  shelter  under  its 
dense  shade.  The  slowness  of  its  growth,  observable 
even  after  centuries  have  elapsed,  is  another  curious 
peculiarity  of  this  palm.  AVhen  Europeans  first  pen- 
etrated this  wild  region,  they  found  extensive  tracks 
covered  with  low,  apparently  stunted  plants,  a  few 
inches  only  above  ground.  According  to  the  recol- 
lection of  the  oldest  inhabitants,  of  whom  there  are 
many  in  the  country,  as  I  have  already  stated,  these 
dwarfish  palm  forests  have  not  altered  very  percep- 
tibly during  their  lives.  It  must  therefore  have  taken 
a  full-grown  plant  thousands  of  years  to  attain  the 
height  of  twenty  feet,  which  is  their  average  size. 

Emerging  from  these  extensive  'palmares — palm 
forests — we  again  found  ourselves  in  the  midst  of  the 
boundless  plain,  assuming  here  as  desolate  an  aspect 
as  if  fire  had  j)assed  over  its  entire  surface,  a  dreary 
waste  of  dried-up  swamps,  parched  by  the  burning 
sun.  Dismal  tracts  of  these  terroneros,  as  they  are 
termed,  lay  before  us,  having  the  appearance  of  an 
extensive  honey-comb,  over  which  our  jaded  beasts 
stumbled  at  every  step,  increasing  our  weariness  to  a 
state  almost  bordering  on  desperation.  The  action  of 
the  rains  washing  the  earth  from  around  the  grass 
tufts,  which  are  afterwards  parched  and  hardened  by 


92  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

the  heat  of  the  sun,  leaves  the  surface  of  the  ground 
covered  with  numerous  little  clumps  of  indurated 
clay,  so  closely  packed  that  there  was  no  footing  for 
the  animals. 

Even  the  cattle  seemed  to  have  forsaken  this  in- 
hospitable region,  for,  with  the  exception  of  a  few 
stragglers,  there  were  no  signs  of  animation.  Most 
of  the  cattle  are  transferred  at  this  season  to  the  fer- 
tile shores  of  the  Apure  and  Portuguesa;  or  they 
abandon  of  their  own  accord  these  dreary  wastes  for 
well-known  streams  where  they  allay  their  thirst. 
Ours  was  intense  on  this  occasion,  while  the  tantaliz- 
ing mirage,  that  singular  atmospheric  phenomenon  so 
peculiar  to  arid  deserts,  haunted  us  incessantly  with 
its  rippling,  vapory  phantom,  a  feeling  in  which  our 
poor  beasts  seemed  to  participate,  as  with  outstretched 
necks  and  ears  they  snuffed  in  vain  the  far  horizon  in 
search  of  the  reviving  element.  By  an  unpardonable 
oversight,  our  men  had  neglected  to  fill  their  gourds 
with  water,  and  now  we  felt  the  want  of  it. 

These  scenes  have  been  described  so  graphically 
by  the  eloquent  pen  of  Humboldt,  in  his  "  Tableaux 
de  la  Kature,"  that  I  w^ill  not  attempt  it  further,  but 
refer  my  reader  to  the  following : 

"When  under  the  vertical  rays  of  the  never- 
clouded  sun,  the  carbonized  tufty  covering  falls  into 
dust,  the  indurated  soil  cracks  asunder  as  if  from  the 
shock  of  an  earthquake.  If  at  such  times  two  oppos- 
ing currents  of  air,  whose  conflicts  i3roduce  a  rotary 
motion,  come  in  contact  with  tlie  soil,  the  plain  as- 
sumes a  strange  and  singular  aspect.  Like  conical- 
shaped  clouds,  the  points  of  which  descend  to  the 


ACROSS  THE  PAMPAS.  93 

earth,  the  sand  rises  through  the  rarified  air  in  the 
electrically  charged  centre  of  the  whirling  current, 
resembling  the  loud  waterspout  dreaded  by  the  ex- 
perienced mariner.  The  lowering  sky  sheds  a  dim, 
almost  straw-colored  light  on  the  desolate  plain ;  the 
horizon  draws  suddenly  near ;  the  steppe  seems  to  con- 
tract, and  with  it  the  heart  of  the  wanderer.  The  hot, 
dusty  particles  which  fill  the  air,  increase  its  suffocating 
heat,  and  the  east  wind  blowing  over  the  long-heated 
soil  brings  with  it  no  refreshment,  but  rather  a  still 
more  burning  glow.  The  pools,  which  the  yellow, 
fading  branches  of  the  fan  palm  had  protected  from 
evaporation,  now  gradually  disappear.  As  in  the  icy 
north  the  animals  become  torpid  with  cold,  so  here, 
under  the  influence  of  the  parching  drought,  the  croco- 
dile and  the  boa  become  motionless  and  fall  asleep, 
deeply  buried  in  the  dry  mud.  Everywhere  the  death- 
threatening  drought  prevails,  and  yet,  by  the  play  of 
the  refracted  rays  of  light  producing  the  phenomenon 
of  the  mirage,  the  thirsty  traveller  is  everywhere  pur- 
sued by  the  illusive  image  of  a  cool,  rippling,  watery 
mirror.  Tlie  distant  palm  bush,  apparently  raised  by 
the  influence  of  the  contact  of  unequally  heated,  and 
therefore  unequally  dense  strata  of  air,  hovers  above 
the  ground,  from  which  it  is  separated  by  a  narrow 
intervening  margin." 

Indeed,  so  perfect  was  this  illusion  of  the  mirage, 
that  on  one  occasion  Mr.  Thomas  and  myself  were  en- 
tirely deceived  by  the  appearance  of  a  beautiful  lake 
which  we  prepared  to  sketch.  But  what  was  our  sur- 
prise when,  on  climbing  a  tree  to  obtain  a  better  view, 
the  phantom  disappeared  as  if  by  magic  !    This  occurs 


94  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

whenever  the  spectator  places  himself  above  the  line 
of  the  natural  horizon. 

At  length  we  reached  a  solitary  pool  of  muddy 
water  in  the  midst  of  the  savanna,  which  was  hailed 
with  joy  by  man  and  beast;  but,  on  nearer  inspec- 
tion, the  thirsty  travellers  were  seized  with  disgust 
and  disappointment  on  seeing  several  dead  and  dying 
animals  embedded  in  the  mnd.  Tliese  quagmires 
form  extensive  barriers  in  some  places,  especially  in 
dried-up  creeks  where  hundreds  of  animals  perish 
every  year,  being  nnable  to  extricate  themselves  from 
the  adhesive  quality  of  the  clay.  At  our  approach 
two  hideous  alligators  rnshed  into  the  pond,  and  thus 
the  scanty  portion  that  had  not  been  disturbed  by 
the  tramping  of  animals  was  in  a  moment  thickened 
like  the  rest.  However,  there  being  no  other  alter- 
native, we  were  compelled  to  follow  the  example  of 
onr  sturdy  Llaneros,  who  proceeded  without  much 
consideration  to  dip  their  calabashes  into  that  species 
of  mud  soup ;  then  covering  the  mouths  of  the  totu- 
mas  with  our  handkerchiefs,  we  sucked  through  them 
this  miserable  substitute  for  water. 

About  noon  we  descried  a  speck  in  the  horizon, 
looking  like  a  sail  at  sea.  Increasing  in  size  as  we 
neared  it,  it  soon  appeared  to  be  a  solitary  mound  or 
promontory ;  by  degrees  it  assumed  more  distinct- 
ness, finally  presenting  to  our  view  all  the  luxuri- 
ance of  tropical  vegetation.  This  was  the  Mata  de 
San  Pedro,  a  sort  of  island  grove  of  splendid  forest 
trees,  which,  like  a  veritable  oasis,  stood  in  the  midst 
of  those  desert  plains,  a  relief  to  the  parched  and 
wayworn  traveller.     Mata   is  the  name  by  which  the 


ACROSS  THE  PAMPAS.  95 

natives  designate  these  lovely  gems  of  the  Pampas, 
no  less  cherished  than  are  those  of  the  famed  African 
Desert  by  the  Tvearied  caravan ;  like  them,  they  re- 
ceive appropriate  names  from  some  peculiarity  of 
feature  or  other  trivial  canse,  as  Mata  Gorda,  Mata 
Eedonda,  &c.  But  whatever  be  the  name,  all  hail 
with  joy  these  verdant  bowers,  a  cool  retreat  to  every 
species  of  animal  in  summer,  and  a  safe  refuge  during 
the  season  of  floods,  for,  being  somewhat  higher  than 
the  surrounding  country,  they  are  rarely  overflowed 
by  the  periodical  inundations. 

It  was  entirely  dark  on  our  amval  at  the  Mata, 
and  we  were  then  so  weary  that  there  was  little  in- 
clination evinced  to  make  any  preparations  for  sup- 
per, and  we  were  also  greatly  in  need  of  water.  Al- 
though the  earth  was  parched  by  the  long  drought, 
Providence  has  placed  a  few  feet  below  the  surface 
an  unlimited  supply  of  the  purest  water.  This  can 
be  obtained  at  any  time  by  merely  digging  for  it 
wath  a  wooden  pole  sharpened  at  one  end.  In  the 
present  instance  we  were  spared  this  trouble,  as  some 
of  our  people,  well  acquainted  with  the  place,  knew 
where  one  of  these  primitive  wells  could  be  found. 
Our  first  business,  therefore,  was  to  seek  for  the  jaglley 
in  spite  of  the  deadly  rattlesnakes  said  to  abound 
there.  From  this  we  obtained  sufficient  water  for 
ourselves  and  riding  horses,  the  other  animals  being 
left  to  shift  for  themselves,  always  under  the  close 
vigilance,  however,  of  the  watchmen  appointed  for 
the  night.  Tliese  men  had  a  hard  task':  apart  from 
the  fatigue  of  keeping  awake  and  on  horseback  all 


96  WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

niglit,  they  were  in  constant  fear  of  a  sudden  stam- 
pede among  the  horses,  which  not  unfrequently  oc- 
curs. To  provide  against  a  contretemps  of  the  sort, 
those  in  immediate  use  were  secured  nightly  by  straps 
attached  to  the  feet,  which  prevented  their  straying 
far  from  the  camp. 

We  rose  very  early,  judging  from  the  height  of 
the  Lucero  or  morning  star — which  in  those  solitudes 
takes  the  place  of  town  clock — whose  brilliancy  almost 
equals  that  of  the  full  moon.  I  nowhere  recollect 
having  seen  this  gorgeous  luminary  of  morning  shed 
such  radiant  streams  of  light  as  in  the  ever-cloudless 
sky  of  the  Llanos  during  the  summer  months.  In 
equal  proportion  all  the  other  heavenly  bodies  seem 
there  to  vie  with  each  other  in  heightening  the  splen- 
dor of  that  glorious  firmament,  cheering  the  heart  of 
the  wanderer  who  finds  himself,  like  the  mariner  on 
the  high  seas,  encompassed  only  by  the  vault  of 
heaven,  whose  glowing  lamps  were  then  our  unerring 
guide  towards  the  south,  enabling  us  to  dispense  with 
compass  or  any  landmarks  by  which  to  direct  our 
course.  Towards  evening,  we  deviated  a  little  from 
it,  hoping  to  reach  a  cattle-farm,  intending  to  pass 
the  night  there;  but  our  horses  being  almost  ex- 
hausted from  the  roughness  of  the  ground,  compelled 
us  to  stop  by  the  banks  of  a  treeless  creek  abounding 
in  alligators;  this  we  knew  by  the  strong  odor  of 
musk  which  pervaded  the  air.  In  spite  of  their  prox- 
imity, which  made  me  start  more  than  once  in  my 
dreams,  we  slept  soundly  in  our  ponchos  on  the  hard 
ground,  for  want  of  trees  from  which  to  sling  our 
hammocks.    This  lack  of  firewood  compelled  us  also 


ACROSS  THE  PAMPAS.  Q^ 

to  go  siipperless  that  night  and  without  breakfast 
next  morning.  After  a  Jong  search  we  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  collecting  a  handful  of  drift  wood  along  the 
banks  of  the  creek,  enabling  Monico  to  make  us  a 
stimulating  cup  of  cofiee  in  which  to  "drown  our 
sorrows." 

Midday  brought  us  to  the  cattle-farm  we  were  in 
quest  of,  when  immediate  preparations  were  made  for 
an  ample  meal,  which  should  compensate  us  for  pre- 
vious privations.  The  overseer  informed  us  that  not 
far  from  the  house  was  a  herd  of  cattle  bearing  our 
brand.  Thither  we  despatched  two  men  in  search  of 
the  fattest  among  them.  In  a  short  time  they  re- 
turned wdth  a  fine  cow,  w^hicli  was  speedily  slaugh- 
tered and  spitted  before  a  blazing  fire  kindled  under 
three  stupendous  mimosa  trees  bearing  flat,  kidney- 
shaped  legumes  or  pods  six  inches  in  circumference. 
Our  hunger  appeased,  we  spread  our  ponchos  under 
the  shade  of  these  giants  of  the  vegetable  world,  and 
slept  until  noon,  when  we  were  again  in  our  saddles 
prosecuting  the  journey  through  a  less  monotonous 
landscape.  The  plain,  although  still  preserving  the 
same  rough  character,  was  diversified  with  groves  of 
other  leguminous  trees,  (Caiiafistulos,)  the  pods  of 
which  were  nearly  three  feet  in  length,  and  contain  a 
black  pulp  valuable  as  a  cathartic. 

Towards  evening  we  were  gratified  by  seeing,  for 
the  first  time,  that  splendid  spectacle,  a  prairie  on 
fire.  The  grass,  parched  with  the  burning  sun,  is 
purposely  fired  by  the  natives  to  promote  the  growth 
of  the  new  crop,  which  last,  owing  to  the  heavy  dews, 
starts  long  before  the  rainy  season  sets  in.  The  con- 
5 


98  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

flagration  extended  for  more  than  three  miles,  the 
strong  evening  breeze  driving  it  onward  in  curling 
fiery  billows.  Volumes  of  smoke  loaded  with  burn- 
ing particles  of  grass,  ascended  in  clouds,  increasing 
the  grandeur  and  beauty  of  the  scene  by  their  various 
tints  of  red,  pink,  and  purple,  diflused  throughout  the 
atmosphere.  Aided  by  this  illumination,  we  were 
enabled  to  discover  a  solitary  ranch,  where  we  tarried 
the  remainder  of  the  night,  although  there  was  noth- 
ing to  be  had  there  in  the  shape  of  edibles.  Fortun- 
ately one  of  our  party  had  shot  a  number  of  wild 
ducks  in  a  lagoon,  and  a  provident  individual  had 
saved  some  choice  morsels  of  the  cow.  There  was 
some  difficulty  in  procuring  wood  enough  for  a  fire, 
but  a  couple  of  rafters  from  the  old  ranch  afforded 
the  needful  fuel,  and  thus  we  were  happily  prevented 
passing  a  supperless,  as  well  as  comfortless  night. 

Many  hours  before  daybreak  we  were  again  up, 
saddling  and  loading  our  animals,  which,  owing  to 
the  darkness,  was  always  the  most  irksome  part  of 
the  journey.  "We  were,  however,  most  happy  to  bid 
adieu  to  the  solitary  ranch  with  its  myriads  of  bats, 
the  only  tenants  we  encountered  there. 


CHAPTER  Vin. 

LA   POKTUGUESA. 

Again  we  were  under  way,  and  again  our  eyes  en- 
countered only  the  flat  monotonous  plain  on  all  sides 
sweeping  to  the  horizon,  varied  only  in  being  more 
barren,  rougher,  and  consequently  more  exhausting  to 
our  horses  than  any  of  the  preceding.  Many  of  the 
riders  dismounted,  that  the  poor  brutes  might  be  re- 
lieved as  much  as  possible,  and  accompKshed  the  re- 
mainder of  the  journey  on  foot.  This  occasioned  a 
burning  thirst,  which  the  scant  supply  of  water  in  our 
gourds  was  not  sufficient  to  allay ;  and  it  was  not  until 
noon  had  long  passed,  that  our  guides,  pointing  to  a 
blue  ridge  of  forest  in  the  distance,  informed  us  it 
marked  the  course  of  the  river  Portuguesa,  our  intend- 
ed halting  place,  and  on  the  borders  of  which  we  pur- 
posed spending  several  days.  The  cavalcade,  inspir- 
ited by  this  view,  pressed  forward  as  rapidly  as  their 
exhausted  condition  would  permit,  and  fortunately 
reached  the  pass  before  nightfall. 

This  beautiful  river  has  its  rise  in  the  mountains 


IQQ  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

of  Trujillo,  and  connects  tlie  fertile  province  of  Bari- 
nas  with  the  sea,  through  the  Apure  and  Orinoco, 
being  in  fact  one  of  the  principal  tiibutaries  of  the 
former.  Its  commercial  advantages,  as  may  be 
imagined,  are  of  great  importance  to  the  interior  of 
a  country  so  distant  from  the  ocean,  and  whose  prin- 
cipal products  consist  in  the  bulky  yield  of  the  plan- 
tations. It  is  navigable  during  a  great  portion  of  the 
year,  especially  for  steam  vessels,  and  I  am  happy 
to  learn  that  the  great  civilizer  of  the  world — steam 
— ^has  at  length  been  introduced  there  through  the 
enterprising  energy  of  some  Yankee  speculators. 

The  banks  of  the  river,  being  both  high  and  pre- 
cipitous, a  passage  to  it  can  only  be  accomplished  at 
certain  points,  where  the  hand  of  man  and  the  tramp 
of  animals  have  cut  deep  trenches,  forming  paths  to 
the  water's  edge.  On  this  occasion,  we  sought  the 
pass  of  San  Jaime,  where  a  ferryman  is  stationed  with 
a  canoe  to  take  across  any  who  desire  it.  Horses, 
however,  being  excellent  swimmers,  are  left  to  ferry 
themselves  over.  Our  first  care  on  arriving  at  the 
pass  was  to  unload  our  beasts  of  burden,  and  unsaddle 
our  steeds  for  the  purpose  of  allowing  them  to  cool 
before  entering  the  water,  a  precaution  which,  if  neg- 
lected, not  unfrequently  proves  fatal  to  both  man  and 
beast.  This  duty  fulfilled,  we  proceeded  to  hail  the 
Canoero^  whose  ranch  was  perched  upon  the  south 
bank  of  the  river.  The  knowledge  that  he  would  re- 
ceive a  "  real  "  for  every  man  and  beast  that  crossed, 
besides  various  perquisites  from  passengers  whom  he 
supplied  with  meals  during  their  sojourn  at  his  ranch, 
so  expedited  his  motions,  that  in  a  few  moments  his  frail 


LA  PORTUGUESA.  101 

barge  received  its  first  load,  eacli  person  taking  his 
own  chattels  with  him.  A  boy  of  fifteen,  naked  and 
sunburnt,  paddled  the  canoe,  while  the  ferryman 
steered  it  by  means  of  his  canalete.  The  utmost  care 
was  necessary  to  prevent  the  overturn  of  the  crazy 
skifi",  which  reeled  at  every  stroke  of  the  paddle, 
threatening  to  pitch  all  its  contents  overboard.  As 
soon  as  we  landed  on  the  opposite  shore,  the  boat  re- 
turned for  a  second  load,  and  the  trips  were  repeated 
until  the  whole  party  had  crossed.  There  now  only 
remained  the  horses,  who  being  extremely  shy  of  deep 
water,  required  to  be  forced  to  swim  across,  an  op- 
eration demanding  considerable  skill  on  the  part  of 
the  drivers.  The  only  way  was  to  give  them  an  ex- 
ample ;  accordingly  two  expert  swimmers,  divesting 
themselves  of  clothes,  jumped  upon  the  bare  back 
of  their  horses  and  plunged  incontinently  into  the 
stream.  Then,  sliding  oft'  to  one  side, -they  allowed 
the  horses  to  swim  without  encumbrance,  supporting 
themselves  with  one  hand  upon  the  animal's  haunches, 
while  with  the  other  they  guided  them  by  means  of 
a  halter.  Meanw^hile,  those  that  remained  on  shore 
set  up  a  tremendous  shouting  and  yelling,  at  the  same 
time  shaking  their  ponchos  violently  with  the  intent 
to  frighten  all  the  rest  of  the  troop  down  the  steep 
embankment,  where,  encouraged  at  the  sight  of  the 
two  ahead,  they  all  entered  the  stream  and  followed 
their  leaders  without  further  difficulty.  Several  large 
crocodiles,  who  had  watched  all  these  proceedings 
from  the  middle  of  the  river,  alanned  by  the  confu- 
sion, disappeared  from  view,  and  then  the  heads  only 
of  the  leaders  and  their  steeds  rose,  puffing  and  snort- 


102  '^^^^   SCENES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

ing,  above  water.  In  spite,  however,  of  all  the  up- 
roar, one  of  these  men  was  instantly  attacked  by  ca- 
ribes,  and  very  narrowly  escaped  serious  injury  from 
them.  I  was  standing  at  the  time  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  river,  watching  this  novel  mode  of  ferrying, 
and  observed  that  the  man,  abandoning  his  horse, 
endeavored  to  reach  the  bank  by  long  strides,  occa- 
sionally lashing  himself  with  a  coiled  lazo  he  carried 
in  his  hand.  It  immediately  occurred  to  me  that  he 
might  have  been  attacked  by  crocodiles,  a  belief 
which  was  strengthened  on  seeing  the  poor  fellow's 
sides  streaming  blood  "as  he  stepped  upon  the  beach. 
My  first  apprehension  was  quickly  dispelled  by  his 
pointing  to  a  circular  wound  on  his  shoulder,  about 
the  size  of  a  quarter  dollar,  and  to  others  as  severe  on 
various  parts  of  his  body,  inflicted  by  caribes.  Had 
the  man  been  a  less  expert  swimmer,  or  the  water  less 
agitated,  the  accident  would  undoubtedly  have  proved 
more  serious ;  as  it  was,  we  were  considerably  alarmed 
for  the  fate  of  the  other  man,  who,  however,  happily 
escaped  unhurt. 

The  surprising  boldness  of  these  diminutive  fish, 
naturally  increased  my  anxiety  to  examine  more  mi- 
nutely into  their  peculiarities,  than  I  had  yet  the  op- 
portunity of  doing.  I  therefore  determined  to  procure 
fresh  specimens,  if  possible.  On  a  former  occasion  I 
had  lost  most  of  my  trout  hooks,  but  I  still  preserved 
some  larger  ones,  mounted  with  copper  wire,  to  be 
used  in  the  rivers  of  the  Apure ;  these  I  supposed 
proof  against  the  teeth  of  any  fish,  and  no  sooner 
were  we  established  in  the  ranch  of  the  ferryman, 
than,  taking  my  lines  I  hastened  to  the  river  acconi- 


LA  PORTUGUESA.    .  103 

panied  by  my  English  co-laborer,  the  artist.  The 
hooks  were  baited  with  pieces  of  fresh  beef,  and 
dropped  with  great  precaution  near  the  shore. 
Scarcely  did  the  bait  touch  the  water,  when  it  was 
seized  by  caribes.  Without  allowing  them  time,  as  it 
seemed,  to  get  the  whole  of  it  between  their  jaws, 
we  pulled  in  the  lines,  but,  alas !  minus  hooks,  as 
well  as  bait.  On  examination,  we  discovered  that 
one  of  the  hooks  had  been  cut  through,  while  the 
other  was  severed  from  the  wire.  Still,  we  persevered, 
but  invariably  with  the  same  unfortunate  result. 

Greatly  annoyed,  I  turned  to  question  a  Llanero, 
who  stood  near  laughing  at  what  he  considered  my 
simplicity.  Another  tapped  me  gently  on  the  shoul- 
der, and  addressed  me  with  "  Nino^  you  might  as 
well  attempt  to  catch  a  rattlesnake  by  the  tail "  (a 
favorite  expression  among  them)  "  as  to  think  of 
hooking  one  of  those  chaps."  What  is  to  be  done, 
then  ?  for  I  must  have  at  least  a  couple  of  these 
scoundrels,  said  I.  "  Who  ever  saw  a  genteel  young 
gentleman  like  yourself,  with  a  taste  for  such  disgust- 
ing creatures  ?  "  he  replied,  imagining  that  I  wanted 
them  for  eating.  On  my  explanation  that  my  object 
was  simply  to  sketch  and  presei-ve  them  in  spirits, 
they  advised  me  to  procure  a  piece  of  tough  skin  from 
the  head  of  an  ox  which  was  then  being  slaughtered, 
and  to  suspend  it  from  a  strip  of  the  same  material. 
I  immediately  followed  their  instructions,  and  shortly 
repaired  again  to  the  river.  Seating  myself  on  the 
steni  of  the  canoe,  which  was  moored  across  the 
stream,  I  dropped  my  novel  bait  into  the  water,  and 
watched  for  the  result  with  the  utmost  interest.     In 


10^  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

a  moment  a  shoal  of  caribes  collected  around  the  bait 
and  commenced  attackmg  it  voraciously.  Finding 
the  thick  cartilage  too  tough  even  for  their  sharp 
teeth,  and  unwilling  to  give  it  up,  they  continued 
gnawing  at  it  like  so  many  little  hyenas.  When  I 
imagined  them  to  be  fairly  "  stuck "  through  the 
thick  skin,  I  lifted  the  whole  concern  over  the  side 
of  the  canoe,  and  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  about 
a  dozen  of  the  fish  dancing  at  the  bottom  of  my  barge. 
Finding  this  novel  style  of  fishing  rather  easy  and 
entertaining,  I  continued  it  until  I  was  suddenly  ap- 
prised into  whose  company  I  had  thrust  myself  by 
feeling  the  heel  of  my  left  foot  seized  by  one  of  the 
captives  with  such  violence  as  caused  me  to  drop  my 
bait,  with  the  vicious  creatures  that  were  hanging 
from  it,  into  the  river.  My  only  thought  now  was 
how  to  contrive  my  escape,  having  the  whole  length 
of  the  canoe  to  traverse,  and  its  floor  paved  with 
these  ravenous  little  wretches.  My  first  impulse  was 
to  spring  overboard ;  but  a  moment's  reflection  con- 
vinced me  that  it  would  be  a  jump  from  the  "  frying 
pan  into  the  fire."  Placed  thus,  as  it  were,  between 
Scylla  and  Charybdis,  I  again  appealed  to  the  inge- 
nuity of  my  former  advisers  for  deliverance.  This 
they  readily  accomplished  by  a  very  simple  contriv- 
ance, consisting  of  a  gunny  bag,  which  they  spread 
over  the  gaping  draught  of  fish.  In  a  moment  their 
sharp  teeth  were  again  at  work,  this  time  among  the 
tough  fibres  of  the  bag,  to  which  they  clung  with  the 
tenacity  of  bull-dogs,  thus  enabling  us  to  fish  them 
out  again  without  difficulty. 

My  biting  experience  of  these  little  pests  left  me 


LA  PORTUGUESA.  105 

in  no  mood  to  spare  them,  and  I  never  missed  an  op- 
portunity of  provoking  a  bloody  conflict  among  tliem. 
With  this  view  I  made  it  my  daily  business  to  scatter 
pieces  of  flesh  in  the  river,  which  never  failed  in  at- 
tracting great  numbers  to  the  spot.  These  devoured 
the  meat  in  a  few  moments,  after  which,  being  them- 
selves of  a  red  hue,  and  mistaking  each  other  for  the 
meat,  they  continued  the  feast  by  devouring  one 
another,  until  few  of  them  remained  alive.  Thus  I 
accomplished  my  revenge  upon  these  cannibals  of  the 
finny  tribe.  The  pike  and  the  caribe  are,  I  believe, 
the  only  fish  which  devour  those  of  their  own  species 
when  disabled.  "  As  no  one  dares  to  bathe  where  it 
is  foimd,"  remarks  Humboldt  in  his  travels,  "  it  may 
be  considered  as  one  of  the  greatest  scourges  of  those 
climates,  in  which  the  sting  of  the  mosquitoes  and  the 
general  irritation  of  the  skin,  render  the  use  of  baths 
so  necessary." 

Fortunately  for  mankind,  these  fish  are  subject  to 
a  yearly  mortality  during  the  heats  of  summer,  when 
the  water  is  deprived  of  a  portion  of  the  air  it  holds 
in  solution.  Their  carcasses  may  then  be  seen  float- 
ing on  the  water  by  thousands,  while  the  beach  is 
strewn  with  their  bones,  especially  their  bristling 
jaws,  which  render  walking  barefoot  on  the  borders 
of  lagoons  extremely  dangerous. 

To  judge  from  the  incessant  turmoil  in  the  river 
at  all  hours  of  the  night,  besides  evident  proofs  of 
their  depredations  during  the  day,  I  concluded  that 
the  havoc  they  commit  on  the  other  denizens  of  the 
w^ater  must  be  very  great.  Even  the  armor-clad 
crocodiles  are  not  exempt  from  their  attacks,  when 


Jog  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

wounded  in  their  own  quarrels,  as  they  sometimes 
are,  during  the  season  of  their  loves,  for  even  croco- 
diles are  subject  to  jealousy,  that  other  "green-eyed 
monster."  * 

During  the  annual  inundation  of  the  savannas, 
when  quadrupeds  perish  by  thousands  in  the  vernal 
deluge,  the  caribes  have  ample  field  for  their  voracity ; 
but  living  animals  are  not  exempted,  for  they  prey 
with  equal  fierceness  upon  the  young  calves  when 
wading  through  the  marshes,  and  upon  the  mothers, 
whose  udders  they  so  mutilate,  that  the  young  ones 
frequently  perish  from  lack  of  nourishment.  The 
poor  cattle  lead  about  this  season  a  truly  miserable 
life.  Those  that  escape  the  teeth  of  the  caribe,  the 
coil  of  the  anaconda,  that  great  water  serpent,  or  the 
jaws  of  the  equally  dreaded  crocodile,  are  in  contin- 
ual danger  of  falling  a  prey  to  the  lion  or  the  jaguar, 
while  congregated  upon  the  hancos  and  other  places 
left  dry  amidst  the  rising  waters.  None,  however, 
escape  the  tormenting  sting  of  myriad  insects  which, 
until  the  waters  subside,  fill  the  air  they  breathe. 
Even  at  night,  when  all  created  beings  should  rest  in 
peace,  enormous  vampires,  issuing  from  the  gloomy 
recesses  of  the  forest,  perch  upon  the  backs  of  the 
sufferers  and  suck  their  life  blood,  all  the  while  lull- 
ing them  with  the  flapping  of  their  spurious  wings. 
In  fact,  it  seems  as  if  in  these  regions  all  the  elements 
conspired  against  these  useful  creatures ;  for,  after 
these  varied  evils  have  abated  with  the  return  of  the 
dry  season,  the  hand  of  man  is  also  continually  against 
them  in  harassing  hunts,  or  in  firing  the  ripe  pastures 

*  The  eyes  of  crocodiles  are  tinted  with  green. 


LA  PORTUGUESA.  107 

wliich  sweep  tlieir  realms  in  devastating  fury,  driving 
them  in  consternation  from  the  fields  of  their  enjoy- 
ment. 

The  crocodiles  of  this  river  are  noted  for  being  the 
most  savage  and  daring  in  the  Llanos.  Although 
usually  styled  yellow  caymans,  to  distinguish  them 
from  the  common  alligator,  which  is  of  a  darker  hue, 
they  are  in  fact  real  crocodiles,  with  an  acute  snout, 
like  those  inhabiting  the  Mle  and  other  celebrated 
rivers  of  Africa. 

While  walking  along  the  banks  of  the  Portuguesa, 
one  may  see  these  huge  lizards  collected  in  groups  of 
half  a  dozen  or  more,  basking  in  the  sunshine  near 
the  water,  with  their  jaws  wide  open  until  their 
ghastly  palates  are  filled  with  flies  or  other  creatures 
alighting  within  them.  We  tried  in  vain  shooting 
them  with  guns  ;  the  reptiles  were  so  wary,  that  the 
moment  we  took  aim  they  rushed  into  the  water. 
Being  at  a  loss  how  to  procure  a  subject  for  my  pen- 
cil, I  sought  the  advice  of  an  old  man,  an  angler  by 
profession,  who  lived  in  one  of  the  huts  near  the  river. 
He  agreed  to  let  me  have  his  canoe  with  his  son  to 
paddle  it,  and  the  requisite  number  of  harpoons,  pro- 
viding I  could  obtain  the  assistance  of  an  Indian  boy 
from  the  neighborhood,  who  was  a  capital  marksman 
with  the  bow  and  arrow.  "  What !  "  I  exclaimed  in 
astonishment,  "  do  we  expect  to  kill  one  of  these 
monsters  with  so  slight  a  thing  as  an  arrow  ? " 
"  No,  Seuorito,"  he  calmly  answered  ;  "  but  you 
must  first  know  where  to  find  him  under  water 
before  you  can  strike  him  with  the  harpoon;   the 


108  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

arrow  of  which  I  speak  is  the  kind  we  use  in  catching 
turtles."  These  arrows  are  constructed  so  as  to  allow 
the  head,  affixed  to  the  shaft  somewhat  in  the  manner 
of  a  lance,  to  come  oft'  the  moment  it  strikes  an  object 
in  the  water.  A  slender  cord,  several  feet  in  length, 
connects  it  with  the  shaft,  which  last  is  made  of  a 
light,  buoyant  reed ;  around  this  the  cord  is  wound 
closely  until  it  reaches  the  point  where  the  head  is, 
then  fastened  securely.  Tlie  shaft  being  extremely 
light,  floats  on  the  surface  of  the  water  the  moment 
it  is  set  free  from  the  head  by  the  struggles  of  the  an- 
imal, thus  acting  as  a  guide  for  its  recovery. 

The  old  angler  then  proceeded  to  explain  that  the 
operation  must  be  conducted  first  by  sending  one  of 
these  arrows  into  the  body  of  the  crocodile  to  mark 
his  position  under  water  ;  and  then,  if  practicable,  we 
might  plunge  a  harpoon  into  the  only  vulnerable  spot 
we  could  hope  to  reach,  viz.,  the  nape  of  the  neck, 
after  which  the  animal  could  be  easily  dragged  on 
shore  by  means  of  strong  ropes  attached  to  the  har- 
poon. 

Accordingly,  I  went  in  search  of  the  Indian  boy, 
whom  I  found  under  a  tree,  seated  like  a  toad  on  his 
haunches,  skinning  a  porcupine  he  had  just  killed. 
At  my  approach  he  raised  his  head  and  fixed  on  me 
his  unmeaning  eyes.  When  spoken  to,  he  only  re- 
plied to  all  my  questions  with  the  monosyllables,  si, 
no.  After  a  little  coaxing,  and  the  promise  of  some 
fish  hooks,  he  followed  me  to  the  canoe  without  ut- 
tering a  word  more.  We  were  not  long  in  getting  a 
chance  to  test  the  skill  of  my  new  acquaintance.  As 
we  approached  the  river  banks,  a  large  crocodile  hove 


LA  PORTUGUESA.  109 

in  sight,  floating  down  the  stream  like  a  log  of  wood. 
Our  position  w^as  most  favorable  to  send  an  arrow 
rattling  through  his  scales,  and  my  young  Nimrod 
lost  no  time  in  improving  the  opportunity.  Stepping 
a  few  paces  in  advance,  and  bending  gracefully  over 
the  precipice,  he  let  fly  at  the  reptile's  head  his  slen- 
der, yellow  reed,  por  elevacion^  viz.,  shooting  the 
arrow  up  into  the  air  at  an  angle  of  forty-five,  which 
causes  it  to  descend  with  great  force  upon  the  object, 
after  describing  an  arc  of  a  circle  in  the  manner  of  a 
bomb-shell.  Although  the  distance  was  fully  three 
hundred  paces,  the  arrow  struck  the  mark  with  the 
precision  of  a  rifle  ball.  A  violent  plunge  of  the 
huge  reptile  was  my  first  intimation  that  the  trial  had 
been  successful,  and  a  moment  after  I  perceived  the 
golden  reed,  now  attached  to  him,  skimming  swiftly 
over  the  surface  of  the  water.  We  hastened  for  the 
canoe,  and  immediately  gave  chase  up  the  stream,  as 
the  crocodile  had  taken  that  direction.  We  were 
rapidly  gaining  upon  him,  when,  alarmed  at  the  sound 
of  the  paddles,  he  sunk  in  very  deep  water,  as  was  in- 
dicated by  the  reed.  This  circumstance  rendered  it 
impossible  to  employ  our  harpoon.  We  tried  in  vain 
to  start  him  ;  he  stuck  to  the  muddy  bottom  whence 
neither  pulls  nor  curses  could  move  him.  We  hoped 
that  in  time  he  would  come  to  the  surface  to  breathe, 
and  then  we  might  strike  him  with  a  harpoon ;  but 
in  this  we  were  equally  disappointed.  After  waiting 
for  him  two  hours,  we  gave  him  up,  along  with  the 
arrow  head  sticking  in  his  own. 

I  made  various  other  attempts  to  secure  a  speci- 
men, but  with  no  better  result,  as  the  river  was  yet 
too  high  to  sound  for  them. 


110  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

While  in  this  place,  I  was  told  several  incidents 
in  relation  to  the  cunning  and  instinct  of  these  sau- 
rians,  one  of  which  appeared  to  me  most  remarkable 
in  an  animal  of  the  reptile  tribe.  The  ferryman  here 
possessed  at  one  time  a  great  many  goats.  One  day 
he  perceived  that  several  of  them  had  disappeared, 
and  not  being  able  to  account  for  it  in  any  other  way, 
he  at  once  laid  the  blame  on  the  hated  crocodiles, 
although  these  creatures  seldom  carry  their  attacks 
beyond  their  own  element.  His  suspicions,  he  dis- 
covered in  the  end,  were  well  founded,  having  w^it- 
nessed  the  destruction  of  one  of  his  goats  in  a  very 
singular  manner.  It  appeared  that  a  crocodile  had  in 
some  mysterious  way  discovered  that  goats  delight  in 
jumping  from  place  to  place,  but  more  especially 
from  rocks  or  mounds.  Rocks,  however,  being  rather 
scarce  in  the  country,  their  treacherous  enemy  under- 
took to  gratify  their  taste  for  this  innocent  pastime, 
and  at  the  same  time  cater  to  his  own.  Approaching 
the  water's  edge  to  within  a  few  feet  from  the  bank, 
he  swelled  out  his  back  in  such  a  manner  as  gave  it 
the  appearance  of  a  small  island  or  promontory.  The 
stupid  goats  perceiving  this,  varied  their  gambols  by 
jumping  from  their  secure  places  on  shore  upon  the 
seeming  island,  which  they,  however,  never  reached, 
for  the  crocodile,  tossing  up  his  head  at  the  right  in- 
stant, received  them  into  his  open  jaws,  and  swallowed 
them  without  difficulty. 

Crocodiles  have  a  special  penchant  for  dogs  also, 
and  never  miss  an  opportunity  of  gratifying  their 
taste  for  the  canine.  In  this,  however,  they  are  often 
balked  by  the  superior  cunning  of  their  intended  tit- 


LA   POKTUGUESA  m 

bits.  One  day  I  observed  a  couple  of  tiger-hounds 
quietly  enjoying  a  cool  bath  in  the  river.  Struck 
with  their  apparent  nonchalance  when  in  such  a  dan- 
gerous proximity,  I  found  on  inquiry  that  these  an- 
imals never  approach  the  water,  either  to  drink  or  to 
bathe,  without  previously  attracting  the  crocodiles  by 
means  of  repeated  bowlings  to  some  distant  spot. 
Tliis  instinct  of  the  dog  with  regard  to  crocodiles 
J  seems  to  be  rather  of  antique  date,  for  I  find  it  re- 
corded in  the  writings  of  both  ancient  and  modern 
travellers  in  different  parts  of  the  world. 

No  person  can  venture  near  the  water  without 
danger  from  their  attacks,  being  so  treacherous  that 
they  approach  their  intended  victim  near  enough  to 
strike  him  with  their  powerful  tails  before  he  is  even 
aware  of  their  proximity.  The  bubbling  sound  of  a 
gourd  being  filled  in  the  water  by  some  imprudent 
person,  specially  attracts  them.  To  obviate  this 
danger,  a  calabash  bowl  with  a  long  wooden  handle  is 
usually  employed  for  the  purpose ;  yet,  even  this  is 
not  unfrequently  snatched  from  the  hands  of  the 
water-carrier.  If  by  accident  a  human  being  falls  a 
prey  to  this  tyrant  of  the  river,  the  reptile  is  then 
called  cebado,  which  appellation  implies  every  thing 
that  is  bold,  ferocious,  and  treacherous  in  an  animal 
of  the  species,  as  from  that  time  they  not  only  way- 
lay persons,  but  follow  them  in  the  canoes,  in  hopes 
of  again  securing  this  dainty  morsel.  There  are, 
however,  men  bold  enough  to  meet  the  enemy  face 
to  face  in  his  own  element.  The  man  who  makes  up 
his  mind  to  this  encounter  is  well  aware  that  this 
must  be  a  conflict  to  the  death  for  one  of  the  anta^o- 


112  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

nists.  The  ferryman  related  to  us  a  feat  of  gallantry 
worthy  of  a  better  cause,  performed  here  by  a  Llanero 
with  one  of  these  monsters.  The  man  was  on  his  way 
to  San  Jaime  on  a  pressing  errand.  Being  in  haste 
to  get  there  the  same  day,  he  would  not  wait  for  the 
canoe  to  be  brought  to  him,  but  prepared  to  swim 
across,  assisted  by  his  horse.  He  had  already  secured 
Lis  saddle  and  clothes  upon  his  head,  as  is  usual  on 
similar  occasions,  when  the  ferryman  cried  out  to  him 
to  beware  of  a  caiman  cebado^  then  lurking  near  the 
pass,  urging  upon  him,  at  the  same  time,  to  wait  for 
the  canoe.  Scorning  this  advice,  the  Llanero  replied 
with  characteristic  pride,  "  Let  him  come  ;  I  was 
never  yet  afraid  of  man  or  beast."  Then  laying  aside 
a  part  of  his  ponderous  equipment,  he  placed  his  two- 
edged  dagger  between  his  teeth,  and  plunged  fear- 
lessly into  the  river.  He  had  not  proceeded  far, 
when  the  monster  rose  and  made  quickly  towards 
him.  The  ferryman  crossed  himself  devoutly,  and 
muttered  the  holy  invocation  of  Jesiis^  Maria  y 
Jose  I  fearing  for  the  life,  and,  above  all,  for  the  toll 
of  the  imprudent  traveller.  In  the  mean  time,  the 
swimmer  continued  gliding  through  the  water  tow- 
ards the  approaching  crocodile.  Aware  of  the  impos- 
sibility of  striking  his  adversary  a  mortal  blow  unless 
he  could  reach  the  armpit,  he  awaited  the  moment 
when  the  reptile  should  attack  him,  to  throw  his  sad- 
dle at  him.  This  he  accomplished  so  successfully, 
that  the  crocodile,  doubtless  imagining  it  to  be  some 
sort  of  good  eating,  jumped  partly  out  of  the  water 
to  catch  it.  Listantly  the  Llanero  plunged  his  dagger 
up  to  the  very  hilt  into  the  fatal  spot.     A  hoarse 


LA  PORTUGUESA. 


113 


grunt  and  a  tremendous  splash  showed  that  the  blow 
was  mortal,  for  the  ferocious  monster  sunk  beneath 
the  waves  to  rise  no  more. 

Proud  of  this  achievement,  and  scorning  the  tardy 
assistance  of  tlie  ferryman,  who  offered  to  pick  him  up 
in  his  canoe,  he  waved  his  bloody  dagger  in  the  air, 
exclaiming,  as  he  did  so  :  "  Is  there  no  other  about 
here  ?  "  and  then  turning,  he  swam  leisurely  back  to 
take  his  horse  across. 

Tlie  canoero  who  related  this  adventure  then 
added :  "  So  delighted  was  I  on  that  occasion,  that 
I  killed  my  fattest  hen  to  treat  the  man  to  a  good 
sancocho^  for  the  caiman  had  devoured  all  my 
goats." 

But  this  is  only  one  of  the  many  exploits  con- 
stantly being  enacted  in  these  regions,  by  the  bold 
race  of  men  inliabitinsj  them. 


114  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

There  is  still  living  at  San  Fernando,  a  town  at 
the  confluence  of  the  Apure  and  Portuguesa  rivers, 
another  individual  equally  bold  in  attacking  croco- 
diles, in  which  warfare  he  uses  only  a  wooden  mace 
or  club.  He  is  possibly  one  of  the  greatest  swimmers 
in  that  or  any  other  country,  having  repeatedly  ac- 
complished the  run  between  San  Fernando  and  El 
Diamante — a  plantation  which  he  owns,  three  miles 
below  the  town — without  once  stopping  on  the  way. 
Armed  with  his  heavy  club  in  one  hand,  and  a  bottle 
of  rum  in  the  other,  to  keep  himself  in  good  spirits, 
this  modem  Hercules  will,  for  the  fun  of  it,  during 
a  spree,  provoke  a  fight  with  a  caiman  cebado ; 
and  so  effectual  has  been  his  warfare,  that  he  has 
actually  succeeded  in  driving  them  away  from  the 
pass,  formerly  so  infested  by  them,  that  scarcely 
a  year  elapsed  in  which  numbers  of  persons  were 
not  carried  off  by  them,  helpless  washerwomen  espe- 
cially. 

I  observed,  also,  at  La  Portuguesa,  a  great  num- 
ber of  fresh-water  porpoises  or  toninas^  as  they  are 
called  there,  swimming  with  rapidity  against  the  cur- 
rent, and  bending  their  backs  gracefully  like  their 
congeners  of  the  sea.  Crocodiles  appeared  to  avoid 
them,  and  would  invariably  dive  out  of  the  way  at 
their  approach.  It  is  probable  that  from  this  circum- 
stance arose  the  current  belief  that  toninas  will  be- 
friend persons  when  they  chance  to  fall  into  the  water, 
against  the  attacks  of  crocodiles.  It  is,  moreover,  as-1 
serted  that  these  cetacea  will  rescue  a  man  from 
drowning,  pushing  him  on  to  the  shore  with  their 


LA  PORTUGUESA.  115 

snouts.  In  acknowledgment  of  this  animal  philan- 
thropy, the  hand  of  man  is  there  never  raised  against 
these  inoffensive  creatures  ;  and  so  conscious  are  they 
of  this,  that  they  seem  rather  to  delight  in  his  neigh- 
borhood, sporting  around  the  canoes  which  ascend 
the  river,  and  spouting  jets  of  water  and  compressed 
air  like  miniature  whales. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE    APUEE  RIVER. 

"We  tarried  several  days  at  La  Portuguesa  to  afford 
our  horses  time  to  recover  from  the  fatigues  of  the 
previous  rough  journeys.  We  also  expected  to  incor- 
porate there  another  drove,  which  having  been  kept  • 
throughout  the  summer  grazing  in  the  ever-verdant 
meadows  of  this  river,  were  now  in  very  fine  condi- 
tion. In  the  mean  time,  we  were  agreeably  occupied 
in  hunting,  fishing  and  dancing ;  the  people  of  the 
neighborhood' being  sufiicient  for  our  social  enter- 
tainments. 

Every  morning  we  rode  out  to  the  savannas  to 
hunt  an  ox  for  our  meals.  The  remainder  of  the  day 
was  occupied  in  scouring  the  adjacent  woods  and 
plains  after  our  steeds,  who  seemed  as  if  conscious  of 
the  life  that  awaited  them  beyond  La  Portuguesa ; 
for  it  required  all  the  ingenuity  and  sagacity  of  the 
Llaneros  to  discover  their  hiding-places,  and  bring 
them  again  to  the  corrals.  The  evenings  were  de- 
voted to  dancing  and  singing  by  tlie  light  of  half  a 


THE   APURE   RIVER.  l^Y 

dozen  candiles^  or  lamps  made  of  burned  clay,  and 
filled  with  the  grease'of  crocodiles.  Tlie  habitations 
being  considerably  scattered  along  the  banks  of  the 
river,  we  employed  a  number  of  runners  for  the  pur- 
pose of  bringing  the  company  to  the  fandango^  as 
these  nocturnal  revelries  are  called,  who  came  in 
canoes  or  wading  through  the  mud  as  occasion  re- 
quired. 

And  now,  refined  and  courteous  reader,  picture  to 
yourself  a  motley  assemblage,  brought  together  with- 
out any  regard  to  color,  age,  or  position,  under  an 
open  shed  or  barracoon  dimly  lighted,  and  you  will 
form  an  idea  of  our  soirees  dansantes^  which  for  merri- 
ment and  courtesy  might  with  good  reason  have  been 
the  envy  of  the  most  polished  reunions. 

The  orchestra  was  composed  of  a  guitar  scarcely 
larger  than  the  hand  that  t whanged  it,  a  banjo  of  huge 
proportions,  and  a  couple  of  noisy  maracas^  rattle- 
boxes  made  from  the  shell  of  the  calabash  fruit,  and 
filled  with  the  seed  of  a  Marantha  or  Indian  shot. 
No  music  is  considered  complete  without  this  accom- 
paniment, which,  as  well  as  I  could  judge,  filled  the 
place  of  castanets,  or  the  less  romantic  "  bones  "  of 
negro  minstrelsy.  A  wooden  handle  is  attached  to 
each,  to  enable  the  performer  to  shake  them  to  and 
fro,  which  he  does  with  appropriate  gestures  and  con- 
tortions expressive  of  his  difierent  emotions.  A  cor- 
responding choir  of  singers,  picked  from  our  own 
suite,  was  attached  to  the  players.  All  Llaneros  are 
passionately  fond  of  music,  and  display  considerable 
talent,  composing  many  beautiful  songs  of  a  national 
character,  called   tonos  or  trovas  llaneros.     Few  in 


118  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

the  country  are  not  gifted  with  the  power  of  versifica- 
tion, and  there  are  among  them"  many  famous  impro- 
visatori.  "Whenever  two  of  these  are  brought  to- 
gether, a  competition  for  the  laurel  crown  is  the  in- 
variable consequence.  This  amicable  strife  sometimes 
occu])ies  several  successive  hours,  ending  only  when 
one  of  the  bards  is  fairly  silenced  by  the  other ;  the 
victor  is  then  declared  the  lion  of  the  fete  and  receives 
accordingly  not  only  the  congratulations  of  his  ad- 
mirers, but  also  secures  the  smiles  of  the  most  spark- 
ling eyes  in  the  company.  It  is  really  surprising  to 
see  men,  who  cannot  distinguish  one  letter  of  the  al- 
phabet from  another,  compose  and  extemporize  poetry 
which,  although  rude  in  character,  is  nevertheless  full 
of  interest  and  significance.  Most  of  their  songs  and 
ballads  refer  to  deeds  of  valor  performed  by  their  own 
heroes ;  while  others  recount  their  love  adventures, 
and  daily  struggles  with  the  wild  and  unsubdued 
nature  which  surrounds  them.  Their  instruments, 
when  handled  with  skill,  produce  very  harmonious 
sounds.  The  handola  or  banjo  bears  no  resemblance 
to  the  one  in  common  use  among  the  negroes  of  the 
States.  It  is,  in  fact,  a  guitar  of  large  proportions, 
shaped  somewhat  like  the  lute  of  old.  The  giiitar  of 
the  Llanos  is  the  reverse  of  its  associate  the  banjo, 
being  considerably  smaller  and  with  only  five  strings, 
on  which  account  it  is  called  Cinco.  Still,  it  is  a 
very  noisy  little  instrument,  all  its  cords  being  made 
to  resound  at  once  by  running  the  fingers  of  the  right 
hand  up  and  down  over  them,  while  those  of  the  left 
stop  them  at  the  right  moment. 

The  dancers  do  not  grapple  with  each  other,  as  is 


THE   APURE    RIVER.  119 

the  practice  among  some  of  the  more  enlightened, 
but  dance  alone,  joining  hands  occasionally  for  a  few 
moments,  and  then  separating  and  whirling  round  by 
themselves.  First,  a  woman  paces  round  the  room 
in  double-quick  step,  looking  for  a  partner ;  when  a 
suitable  one  is  found,  a  graceful  waving  of  the  hand- 
kerchief summons  him  before  her  ;  then  both  go. 
through  their  evolutions  until  the  woman  chooses  to 
withdraw.  The  man  then  with  a  polite  bow  invites 
a  second  partner,  and  so  on  to  the  end  of  the  first 
dance.  This  is  styled  the  Galeron,  in  which  only  the 
most  skilful  dancers  take  part,  as  it  requires  great 
flexibility  of  joint  and  limb  to  execute  all  the  intricate 
and  graceful  posturings  and  swayings  of  the  body, 
constituting  the  principal  charm  of  the  performance. 
They  have  a  variety  of  other  dances,  such  as  La 
Maricela^  El  Raspon^  La  Zapa,  &c.,  all  of  which, 
however,  are  of  the  same  character,  the  chief  differ- 
ence being  in  the  double  entendre  of  the  stanzas  sung 
as  accompaniment  to  the  music.  La  Maricela^  espe- 
cially, is  a  very  exciting  dance,  from  the  satirical  l>07i 
mots  hurled  by  the  bard  of  the  evening  at  each  couple 
as  they  pass.  The  facility  with  which  these  verses  are 
improvised  is  most  amusing,  and  would  even  astonish 
the  most  accomplished  Neapolitan  improvisator e. 
Some  of  them  are  capital  hits  upon  the  personal  ap- 
pearance, &c.,  of  the  dancers,  and  none  fail  to  find 
some  point  for  ridicule.  i 

Three  or  four  days  we  sojourned  among  these  jolly 
people,  and  then  again  set  out  for  the  scene  of  our 
future   adventures,  stopping  for  the  night    at   San 


120  WILD    SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

Jaime,  once  a  thi'iving  town,  but  now  nearly  deserted 
in  consequence  of  the  desolating  civil  wars  which 
have  afflicted  the  country  for  several  years.  On  our 
way  thither,  we  traversed  a  succession  of  beautiful 
prairies,  bound  by  rings  of  magnificent  forest  trees, 
and  watered  by  numerous  creeks  and  lagoons  filled 
with  water  fowl.  Unlike  the  dreary  wastes  we  had 
already  crossed,  which,  "  like  the  ocean,  fill  the  imagi- 
ation  with  the  idea  of  infinity,"  the  plains  stretching 
between  the  Portuguesa  and  Apure  rivers  are  char- 
acterized by  the  rankness  and  luxuriance  of  the  vege- 
tation. Owing  to  the  periodical  inundation,  the  land- 
scape wears  here  the  green  mantle  of  spring  even 
during  the  hottest  months. 

This  yearly  inundation  is  one  of  the  most  curious 
phenomena  of  this  region.  At  the  approach  of  the 
rainy  season,  those  two  magnificent  off'springs  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada,  the  Apure  and  Portuguesa,  tired  as  it 
were  of  their  long  repose,  suddenly  rise  in  their 
heated,  muddy  beds,  and  leap  over  their  borders,  at 
first  in  playful  gambols ;  then  in  fearful  and  rapid 
course,  converting  these  widely  extended  plains  into 
a  vast  lagoon.  To  the  few  spots  which  escape  the 
general  submersion,  the  inhabitants  retire  with  their 
chattels  and  flocks  in  canoes  held  in  readiness  for  the 
purpose. 

Thus  the  land  is  kept  in  a  state  of  constant  irriga- 
tion and  fertility  unsurpassed  in  any  country,  although 
at  the  expense  of  the  comfort  of  the  inhabitants,  who 
are  compelled  to  abandon  their  homes  to  the  croco- 
diles and  anacondas  of  the  stream.  When  the  waters 
subside,  the  intruders  are  expelled  by  the  rightful 


THE   APURE    RIVER.  121 

owners  of  the  dwellings  ;  the  few  articles  of  furniture 
they  possess  replaced  in  the  damp  rooms,  and  they 
again  devote  themselves  to  domestic  pursuits  until  the 
next  inundation  forces  them  anew  to  seek  a  home 
elsewhere.  I  was  shown  at  the  pass  the  marks  left 
by  the  water  on  the  walls  of  the  cottages,  indicating 
in  some  instances  a  rise  of  twelve  feet. 

I  was  struck  with  the  size  and  luxuriance  of  the 
trees  along  the  course  of  these  rivers.  My  attention 
was  particularly  attracted  by  the  saman^  a  species  of 
Mimosa,  with  delicate,  feathery  flowers  of  a  pinkish 
hue,  and  gigantic,  umbrella-shaped  boughs.  There 
is  in  the  valleys  of  Aragua  one  of  these  which,  from 
time  immemorial,  has  elicited  the  admiration  of 
travellers,  and  received  the  protection  of  the  law 
since  the  discovery  and  settlement  of  the  country, 
for  its  magnificent  proportions  and  the  great  age 
which  it  is  supposed  to  have  attained. 

Extensive  tracts  of  land  are  entirely  taken  up  by 
individuals  of  this  class.  It  would  be  impossible  to 
conceive  any  thing  more  grand  in  nature  than  a  forest 
of  these  trees.  It  might  be  said  of  them  that  each  is 
a  forest  in  itself ;  and  were  all  the  beautiful  parasites 
that  cling  to  their  trunks  and  branches  for  support 
spread  upon  the  ground,  they  would  cover  several 
acres.  All  along  the  course  of  the  great  rivers  Apure, 
Guarico,  and  Portuguesa,  the  saman  is  found  in  such 
countless  numbers  that  the  combined  fleets  of  the 
civilized  world  might  be  reconstructed  from  this  in- 
exhaustible supply.  The  axe  of  the  northerner  could 
readily  convert  those  stupendous  forests  into  vehicles 
6 


122 


WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTH   A3IERICA. 


of  commerce  and  civilization,  were  it  not  for  the  wast- 
ing fevers,  endemic  of  that  region.  Now  they  only 
serve  as  protective  haunts  for  desperate  bands  of  rob- 
bers and  cut-throats,  let  loose  by  unprincipled  poli- 
ticians. 


Equally  rank  and  luxuriant  are  the  grasses  in 
these  alluvial  lands.  We  were  compelled  to  drive 
before  us  all  the  relay  horses  and  other  beasts  of  bur- 
den to  open  a  passage  and  save  our  bare  feet  from 
being  dreadfully  lacerated  by  the  gamelote^  a  tall, 
cutting,  and  worthless  grass,  with  blades  almost  as 
sharp  as  a  "  Toledo."  It  grows  so  closely  and  rapidly 
as  to  obliterate  in  a  few  days  the  paths  made  by 
travellers,  killing  every  other  species  in  its  way.  Un- 
fortunately, it  is  perfectly  useless  as  fodder,  except 
for  Chiguires  or  water-hogs,  which  feed  on  it  when 
nothing  better  offers,  and  to  the  flesh  of  which  it  im- 
parts its  disagreeable  flavor  ;  the  gamelote  is  therefore 
consigned  to  the  flames  as  soon  as  it  is  ripe  enough 
to  bum,  which  it  does  with  as  much  seeming  fury  as 


THE   APURE   RIVER.  123 

it  displayed  against  the  feet  and  legs  of  travellers  in 
its  green  days. 

On  the  second  niglit  of  our  journey,  we  pitched 
our  camp  near  several  ponds,  literally  crowded  with 
alligators  and  fish  and  water  fowl  of  all  varieties, 
which  kept  up  a  continual  strife,  to  our  great  discom- 
fort. Not  only  was  the  water  rendered  noxious  by 
the  numerous  creatures  in  it,  but  even  the  air  was 
filled  with  the  efiiuvium  and  mosquitoes  arising  there- 
from. We  were  compelled  to  dig  wells  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  lagoons  to  obtain  water  for  our  use ;  but 
no  artifice  could  shield  us  from  the  unmerciful  attacks 
of  the  mosquitoes,  esj)ecially  the  kind  called  pul- 
lones^  from  the  length  and  strength  of  the  proboscis. 
We  tried  in  vain  to  escape  their  painful  sting  by  roll- 
ing ourselves  from  head  to  foot  in  our  ponchos  and 
hammocks,  at  the  peril  of  suffocation  ;  the  needle-like 
proboscis  of  the  insects  actually  penetrated  through 
the  folds  of  our  covering  so  as  to  draw  blood.  Nor 
would  the  smoke  of  the  blazing  fires  around  the 
camp  drive  them  ofi*,  as  was  anticipated.  Fortunately, 
they  only  paid  us  an  early  visit,  retiring  all  at  once 
before  midnight,  and  leaving  us  to  the  tender  mercies 
of  their  kinsfolk,  the  noisy  mosquitoes  or  zancudos. 
These,  although  not  so  tormenting  with  their  sting, 
were  none  the  less  so  with  their  music,  while  no  part 
of  our  bodies  could  be  left  uncovered  without  being 
instantly  besieged  by  swarms  of  these  "  howling-insect 
wolves."  This,  however,  was  the  only  occasion  upon 
which  we  were  troubled  by  mosquitoes  during  our 
journey,  as  they  only  appear  in  force  during  the  rainy 
season. 


124:  WILD   SCENES   IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

I  noticed  here  for  the  first  time  a  low  range  of 
hills  or  medanoSy  mere  accumulations  of  sand  tossed 
from  place  to  place  bj  the  winds  across  the  boundless 
plain ;  to-day,  they  rise  above  the  surrounding  prai- 
ries ;  to-morrow,  they  are  levelled  with  the  dust  of  the 
savannas :  fit  emblem  of  the  ephemeral  republics  of 
the  South  !  These  medanos  had  been  overrun  by  the 
gamelote,  gi^ii^g  them  the  character  of  permanent 
hills,  from  which  the  place  takes  the  name  of  Me- 
danos de  San  Martin. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  there  was  no 
temptation  to  prolong  our  stay  there  longer  than  was 
needed  by  our  horses,  who  revelled  all  night  in  the 
fine  meadows  around  the  lagoons.  Packing  up  once 
more,  we  bade  adieu  to  that  inhospitable  encampment 
long  before  daylight. 

Struggling  through  miles  of  gamelote^  we  reached 
the  cattle  farm  of  Corozito  towards  noon.  Don  Lu- 
ciano Samuel,  the  proprietor,  extended  to  us  the  hos- 
pitalities of  his  demesne  with  the  characteristic  grace 
and  frankness  of  the  people  in  those  regions.  From 
thence  to  the  Pass  of  Apurito,  on  the  river  Apure, 
was  only  a  few  hours'  ride ;  and  the  morning  being 
the  best  time  for  crossing  the  river  with  our  animals, 
we  rose  early  in  order  to  reach  it  before  the  breeze 
should  commence  blowing. 

Owing  to  the  thick  vegetation  on  its  banks,  we 
did  not  discover  the  river  until  we  were  close  upon 
it ;  and  then,  with  what  delight  did  I  again  view  the 
broad  surface  of  this  magnificent  stream  ! 

Although  born  near  its  shores,  I  had  but  a  faint 
recollection  of  its  broad  expanse.     Perhaps  its  turbu- 


THE   APURE    RIVER.  125 

lent  waves  had  rocked  my  raw-hide  cradle  during  one 
of  the  periodical  inundations  ;  for,  from  earliest  child- 
hood, I  have  borne  marks  left  by  the  teeth  of  the 
caribe. 

What  glorious  recollections  of  the  fierce  contest 
for  liberty  did  its  waters  bring  to  memory  !  Not  the 
lordly  Thames,  with  its  "  woven-winged  "  argosies, 
teeming  with  the  merchandise  of  the  earth ;  the  en- 
chanting Delaware,  framed  in  romantic  cottages  and 
orchard  groves ;  nor  yet  the  splendid  Hudson,  re- 
nowned for  its  floating  palaces  and  legends,  but  more, 
that  on  its  banks  nestles  the  home  of  Irving,  awakened 
in  my  breast  such  emotions  of  heartfelt  admiration  as 
did  this  silent  messenger  from  the  Sierra  Nevada ! 
There,  amidst  the  thunders  of  the  Heavens  and  rolling 
avalanches,  it  takes  its  rise,  precipitately  descending 
to  the  plain  below  through  a  succession  of  frightful 
leaps,  which  shake  the  primeval  forest  to  its  very 
foundations.  And  so  it  comes,  that  its  surface  is  often 
loaded  with  an  immense  accumulation  of  fallen  trees 
from  the  various  zones  of  vegetation  it  traverses  in  its 
course.  Thus  the  delicate  ferns  and  other  Alpine 
plants  are  commingled  with  those  of  the  burning 
climes  below,  and  finally  deposited  in  the  wide  estu- 
ary forming  the  delta  of  the  Orinoco.  When  future 
generations  shall  disentomb  them  in  a  petrified  state, 
their  geologists  will  no  doubt  attribute  this  singular 
agglomeration  to  wonderful  changes  in  the  temper- 
ature of  the  earth. 

The  river  Apure,  properly  speaking,  is  formed  by 
the  confluence  of  two  other  streams,  the  Sarare  and 
Uribante.     The  former  has  its  rise  among  the  New 


120  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

Granadian  range  of  mountains,  although  a  great  por^ 
tion  of  its  waters  flow  now  into  the  Aranca,  conse- 
quent on  the  great  deposits  of  sand  and  drift  wood 
accumulating  at  its  mouth. 

The  Uribante,  or  Upper  Apure,  may  be  consid- 
ered the  main  channel  of  this  river,  with  a  total 
length  of  six  hundred  and  forty  miles,  five  hundred 
and  sixty-four  of  which  are  navigable  for  large  vessels. 
It  takes  the  name  of  Apure  after  its  junction  with  the 
Sarare ;  but  is  again  subdivided  into  several  ramifi- 
cations called  canos  or  creeks,  each  of  which  has  a 
particular  name ;  among  them,  La  Ebilla,  Apurito 
and  Apure-Seco  are  the  most  important ;  these  again 
unite  with  the  main  channel,  and  form  islands  of  sur- 
prising fertility.  These  islands  are  invaluable  as  po- 
treros  for  the  cattle,  when  other  parts  of  the  country 
are  parched  with  the  droughts  of  summer,  the  steep 
banks  and  wide  channels  of  the  rivers  serving  as  the 
most  effectual  barriers  against  their  roaming  propen- 
sities. 

Tlie  geographical  situation  of  this  river,  joined  as 
it  is  to  one  of  the  greatest  tributaries  of  the  wide 
ocean — the  Orinoco — at  a  point  nearly  five  hundred 
utiles  from  its  confluence  with  the  sea,  stamps  it  as 
one  of  the  most  important  lines  of  internal  navigation 
in  the  world,  and  points  to  the  wild  region  of  the 
Llanos  as  a  future  emporium  of  civilization.  To  it  all 
the  products  and  other  natural  sources  of  wealth  from 
the  adjoining  provinces  will  be  brought  for  immediate 
exportation  to  foreign  markets  ;  as,  in  addition  to  the 
vast  area  of  level  country  traversed  by  it,  this  river 
receives  the  tribute  of  a  himdred  navigable  streams 


TUE    APURE    RIVER.  127 

descending  from  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Andes  of 
New  Granada  and  Venezuela. 

The  width  of  the  Apnre  varies  considerably  ac- 
cording to  the  seasons  of  rains  and  droughts ;  some- 
times extending  miles  beyond  its  actual  channel,  but 
usually  not  less  than  one  thousand  yards  broad. 
Humboldt,  who  measured  it  at  San  Fernando  in  the 
month  of  May,  when  it  had  receded  to  its  lowest  ebb, 
found  it  to  be  two  hundred  and  thirty-six  toises 
broad  ;  higher  up  it  is  considerably  wider,  gradually 
diminishing  as  it  approaches  its  great  confluent.  Al- 
luding to  this  singular  phenomenon,  mostly  caused 
by  evaporation  and  infiltrations  through  the  dry, 
sandy  banks  of  the  river,  the  same  eminent  traveller 
elucidates  some  curious  facts  worthy  of  notice.  He 
says :  "  Some  idea  of  the  magnitude  of  these  effects 
may  be  formed,  from  the  fact  that  we  found  the  heat 
of  the  dry  sands  at  different  hours  of  the  day  from 
36°  to  52°,"^  and  that  of  sands  covered  with  three  or 
four  inches  of  water  32°.  The  beds  of  rivers  are 
heated  as  far  as  the  depth  to  which  the  solar  rays  can 
penetrate,  without  undergoing  too  great  an  expansion 
in  their  passage  thi;oiigh  the  superincumbent  strata 
of  water.  Besides,  filtration  extends  in  a  lateral  di- 
rection far  beyond  the  bed  of  the  river.  The  shore, 
which  appears  dry  to  us,  imbibes  water  as  far  up  as 
to  the  level  of  the  surface  of  the  river.  We  saw 
water  gush  out  at  the  distance  of  fifty  toises  from  the 
shore,  every  time  that  the  Indians  struck  their  oars 
into  the  ground.     Now,  these  sands,  wet  below  but 

*  Centigrade  Thermom.rzg?"  to  126°  Fah. 


128  ^^'ILD   SCENES   IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

dry  above,  and  exposed  to  the  solar  rays,  act  like 
sponges,  and  lose  the  infiltrated  water  every  instant 
by  evaporation.  The  vapor  that  is  emitted  traverses 
the  Tipper  stratum  of  sand  strongly  heated,  and  be- 
comes sensible  to  the  eye  when  the  air  cools  towards 
evening.  As  the  beach  dries,  it  draws  from  the 
river  new  portions  of  water ;  and  it  may  be  easily 
conceived  that  this  continual  alternation  of  vaporiza- 
tion and  lateral  absorption  must  cause  an  immense 
loss,  difficult  to  submit  to  exact  calculation.  The  in- 
crease of  these  losses  would  be  in  proportion  to  the 
length  of  the  course  of  the  rivers,  if  from  their  source 
to  their  mouth  they  were  equally  surrounded  by  a 
flat  shore  ;  but  these  shores  being  formed  by  deposits 
from  the  water,  and  the  water  having  less  velocity  in 
proportion  as  it  is  more  remote  from  its  source,  throw- 
ing down  more  sediment  in  the  lower  than  in  the 
upper  part  of  its  course,  many  rivers  in  hot  climates 
undergo  a  diminution  in  the  quantity  of  their  water 
as  they  approach  their  outlets.  Mr.  Barrow  observed 
these  curious  effects  of  sands  in  the  southern  part  of 
Africa,  on  the  banks  of  the  Orange  river.  They  have 
also  become  the  subject  of  a  very  important  discus- 
sion in  the  various  hypotheses  that  have  been  formed 
respecting  the  course  of  the  Niger." 

At  the  time  we  crossed  the  Apure,  it  was  consid- 
erably below  the  average  width,  as  we  were  then  in 
the  midst  of  the  dry  season ;  nevertheless,  it  presented 
a  formidable  obstacle  to  our  progress.  Thei-e  being 
only  one  canoe  at  the  pass,  the  whole  morning  was 
spent  in  the  transportation  of  our  bulky  riding-gear 
and  luggage  ;  and  the  breeze  setting  in  shortly  after 


TUE   APURE   RIVER.  129 

our  arrival,  the  passage  of  tlie  horses  was  postponed 
until  noon,  in  consequence  of  the  agitated  state  of  the 
water.  It  would  have  been  rather  hazardous  to  ex- 
pose our  valuable  steeds  to  the  "  chopping  sea," 
which,  beating  against  the  animals'  nostrils,  is  apt  to 
stop  their  respiration,  and  as  thej  then  lose  their 
steadiness  in  swimming,  are  rendered  liable  to  be 
drowned. 

We  were  met  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river 
by  a  committee  of  gentlemen  in  their  shirt  sleeves, 
like  ourselves,  commissioned  by  the  inhabitants  of 
Apurito  to  tender  our  Leader  the  hospitalities  of  their 
village.  Prominent  among  them  was  the  general 
overseer  of  his  estate.  Commandant  Kavago,  a  tough, 
wiry,  and  weather-beaten  individual,  whose  nose 
I*^ature  had  made  of  an  unjustifiable  length,  and  who 
discoursed  in  a  language  peculiar  to  himself.  Indeed, 
it  required  one  to  be  well  versed  in  the  jargon  of  the 
Llanos  to  understand  his  dissertations  upon  matters 
and  things  in  general ;  for  he  pretended  to  be  a  con- 
noisseur in  every  thing,  except  languages ;  the  English, 
especially,  was  peculiarly  distasteful  to  his  ears,  and 
whenever  he  heard  us  conversing  in  that  tongue,  he 
declared  in  his  patois,  that  it  reminded  him  of  a  pack 
of  horses  neighing  to  each  other.  Notwithstanding 
his  uncouth  manner  and  appearance,  our  overseer 
was  a  very  shrewd  fellow,  and  quite  au  fait  in  all 
matters  appertaining  to  cattle  farms. 

As  for  the  village  or  port  of  Apurito,  it  was  a 

mere  assemblage  of  mud-plastered  cottages,  thatched, 

like   all   houses   in   that  region,  with   palm   leaves. 

Some  of  them  had  doors   and  windows  of  planed 

6* 


130  '^ILD    SCENES  IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

boards ;  but  the  greater  part  were  free  to  whoever 
and  whatever  chose  to  walk  or  crawl  into  them ;  no 
church,  no  school-house,  no  building  devoted  to  pub- 
lic meetings  of  any  sort.  The  Alcalde,  that  most  im* 
portant  functionary  in  small  Spanish  communities, 
held  his  audiences  in  the  narrow  corridor  of  his  hut, 
while  the  sola  was  devoted  to  the  all-absorbing  game 
of  monte.  Once  a  year  the  Padre,  next  in  importance 
to  his  Honor  the  Alcalde,  paid  a  visit  to  the  village, 
when  all  the  boys  and  girls  who  had  not  been  bap- 
tized were  brought  before  him  at  his  lodgings,  where 
the  ceremony  was  performed  in  a  somewhat  informal 
manner,  and  without  special  regard  being  paid  to  the 
strict  injunctions  of  the  Church.  There  were  a  few 
storehouses  scattered  along  the  banks  of  the  river, 
where  all  business  ti:ansactions  were  carried  on. 
These  were  principally  in  hides,  which  are  given  in 
exchange  for  the  few  articles  of  barter  brought  from 
the  Orinoco.  Hides,  in  fact,  are  the  bank  notes  of 
the  Llanos ;  and  although  rather  voluminous  and 
uncleanly,  they  change  hands  as  readily  as  any 
"  paper  "  that  was  ever  in  "  the  market."  These  are 
taken  to  Ciudad  Bolivar,  formerly  Angostura,  in 
bongos  and  one-mast  sailing  vessels  called  lanehas^ 
w^liich  return  laden  with  salt,  knives,  blankets,  and 
printed  calicoes,  articles  of  prime  necessity  among  the 
inhabitants.  Other  ports  along  the  Apure,  such  as 
Nutrias  and  San  Fernando,  carry  on  a  very  ex.tensive 
trade  in  these  goods.  The  first-named  town  adds 
largely  to  her  exports,  bringing  in  the  agricultural 
products  of  the  adjoining  province  of  Barinas.  These 
are  coffee,  cacao,  indigo,  and  tobacco  ;  the  last  being 


THE  APUKE  KlYER.  131 

highly  prized  in  Germany  for  meerschaums,  and  al- 
ways obtaining  a  ready  sale  at  Bolivar. 

The  course  of  the  Apure  being  nearly  in  a  straight 
line  from  west  to  east,  the  trade  winds  blowing  across 
the  plains  in  the  summer  season  play  a  very  impor- 
tant part  in  propelling,  even  against  the  current,  the 
heaviest  craft  sailing  up  the  river.  During  the  rainy 
season,  the  westerly  winds  combine  with  the  current 
of  the  stream  in  expediting  the  progress  of  vessels. 
Of  late,  several  steamboats  have  been  added  to 
those  already  engaged  in  this  traffic ;  and  I  am  told 
are  doing  a  very  profitable  business.  God  speed 
them ! 

"  During  the  time  of  great  floods,"  writes  Hum- 
boldt, "  the  inhabitants  of  these  countries,  to  avoid  the 
force  of  the  currents,  and  the  .danger  arising  from  the 
trunks  of  trees  which  these  currents  bring  down,  in- 
stead of  ascending  the  beds  of  rivers  in  their  boats, 
cross  the  savannas.  To  go  from  San  Fernando  to  the 
villages  of  San  Juan  de  Payara,  San  Kafael  de  Ata- 
maica,  or  San  Francisco  de  Capanaparo,  they  direct 
their  course  due  south,  as  if  they  were  crossing  a 
single  river  of  twenty  leagues  broad.  The  junctions 
of  the  Guarico,  the  Apure,  the  Cabullare,  and  the 
Arauca  with  the  Orinoco,  form,  at  a  hundred  and 
sixty  leagues  from  the  coast  of  Guiana,  a  kind  of  in- 
terior delta,  of  which  hydrography  furnishes  few  ex- 
amples in  the  Old  World.  According  to  the  height 
of  the  mercury  in  the  barometer,  the  waters  of  the 
Apure  have  only  a  fall  of  thirty-four  toises  from  San 
Fernando  to  the  sea.     The  fall  from  the  mouths  of 


132  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

the  Osage  and  the  Missouri  to  the  bar  of  the  Missis- 
sippi is  not  more  considerable.  The  savannas  of 
Lower  Louisiana  everywhere  remind  us  of  the  sa- 
vannas of  the  Lower  Orinoco." — Travels  to  the  Equi- 
noxial  Regions. 


CHAPTER  X. 

SAVAN-NAS      OF      APUEE. 

After  a  thorough  examination  of  animals  and 
baggage,  to  see  that  all  was  as  it  ought  to  be,  we  left 
the  uninteresting  village  of  Apurito  for  our  cattle- 
estate  of  San  Pablo  de  Apure,  a  few  miles  further 
south.  As  we  passed  the  last  house  fronting  the 
river,  Mr.  Thomas  descried  a  jaguar-skin,  Vv^hich  the 
owner  of  the  hut  had  spread  to  dry  upon  the  fence. 
"Wishing  to  examine  it  more  closely,  he  spurred  his 
mule  ahead  and  was  in  the  act  of  seizing  the  skin, 
when  the  animal,  whose  view  of  it  had  until  then  been 
obstructed  by  the  other  beasts,  coming  unexpectedly 
into  close  proximity  with  the — to  him — fearful  object, 
drew  back  in  terror,  snorting,  kicking,  and  plunging 
so  violently  as  to  capsize  the  unlucky  artist  upon  the 
sandy  beach.  The  abhorrence  with  which  nmles  re- 
gard the  South  American  tiger,  is  one  of  the  most 
curious  phenomena  of  animal  instinct  with  which  I 
am  accm|iinted  ;  not  only  do  they  manifest  it  at  sight 


134  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

of  the  creature,  but  also  by  tlieir  scent,  while  the 
animal  is  still  a  long  distance  off,  and  yet,  in  most 
cases,  they  have  never  seen  a  tiger,  as  was  the  case  in 
the  present  instance,  this  mule  having  been  reared  in 
the  potreros  of  San  Pablo  de  Paya,  where  tigers  are 
rarely,  if  ever,  met  with. 

After  a  ride  of  a  few  hours  through  alternate 
glades  of  gigantic  mimosas  and  verdant  savannas,  we 
reached  San  Pablo  before  night  had  cast  her  gloom 
over  those  solemn  wilds.  The  house  was  neat?  and 
well  located,  commanding  an  extended  view  of  the 
country  and  innumerable  herds  of  cattle  grazing  in  the 
distance.  There  were,  besides,  a  large  caney  or  bar- 
racoon  for  the  accommodation  of  the  men  and  their 
chattels,  and  a  detached  hut  in  which  the  culinary 
functions  of  the  establishment  were  to  be  performed. 

The  appellation  of  San  Pablo,  conferred  on  this 
farm  also — although  the  owner  possessed  already 
another  of  the  same  name — made  me  suspect  that 
snakes  were  not  uncommon  in  that  country,  the  reality 
of  which  fact  I  ascertained  the  first  time  that  I  strolled 
any  considerable  distance  from  the  house.  In  a  coun- 
try where  saints  are  supposed  to  exert  an  unbounded 
influence  over  all  human  affairs,  it  is  not  unusual  to 
give  to  houses  and  localities,  threatened  with  some 
special  calamity,  the  name  of  the  saint  who  is  consid- 
ered the  patron  or  defender  from  that  particular  evil : 
thus  places  which  are  frequently  visited  by  thunder- 
storms, are  called  after  Santa  Barbara  ;  those  infested 
with  snakes,  receive  the  name  of  San  Pablo,  &c.,  &c. 

Although  this  farm  formed  part  of  the  demesne  we 
came  to  inspect,  we  did  not  remain  there  longer  than 


SAVANXAS  OF  APURE.  135 

was  absolutely  necessary  to  investigate  into  its  general 
condition. 

When  tlie  order  was  given  to  remove  to  El  Frio — 
another  farm  further  westward — we  gladly  saddled 
horses  and  started  oif  at  a  brisk  pace  over  those  fresh 
and  beautiful  prairies  which,  with  their  perpetual 
grassy  carpet,  caused  ns  to  feel  as  if  we  were  coming 
into  a  land  of  promise  and  contentment,  instead  of  one 
of  tqil  and  hardship.  Indeed,  every  thing  denoted 
that  we  were  now  entering  on  far  different  scenes  from 
those  we  had  left  across  the  river.  It  seemed  a  ter- 
restrial paradise,  where  a  beneficent  Providence  had 
congregated  every  animal  most  needed  by  man.  Kow 
it  was  the  slender  forms  of  deer  in  herds  bounding 
swiftly  over  the  greensward ;  now  the  gristly  wild 
hogs  and  capyvaras  making  hastily  for  the  nearest 
swamp  to  avoid  the  eager  chase  of  our  men.  Occa- 
sionally might  be  seen  a  redoubtable  wild  bull,  retir- 
ing sulkily  and  slowly  at  the  head  of  his  shaggy  troop, 
as  if  wishing  to  dispute  our  right  to  enter  his  domain. 
Yegetafion,  however,  seemed  to  flourish  here  less  than 
in  other  places  we  had  visited,  as,  excepting  a  few 
scattered  palms  of  a  new  variety,  and  some  straggling 
Matas — which,  from  the  mirage  continually  before 
us,  appeared  like  fairy  groves  set  in  clearest  water — 
nothing  but  the  fine  and  level  lawn  met  the  eye  for 
many  miles. 

Unlike  the  higher  plains,  where  only  a  coarse 
herbage  predominates,  the  savannas  of  Apure  are 
characterized  by  a  luxuriant  gi'owth  of  various  grasses, 
which,  like  those  of'  the  Portuguesa,  preserve  a  uni- 
form vierdure  throughout  the  year.     Tliese  grasses — 


13G  WILD   SCENES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

some  of  which  are  as  soft  and  pliable  as  silk — arc 
most  important  in  the  economy  of  cattle-breeding  in 
the  savannas  watered  by  the  Apnre  and  its  tribu- 
taries. The  prodigious  increase  of  animals  in  these 
plains  is  mainly  owing  to  the  superiority  of  the  pas- 
tures over  those  of  the  upper  regions  of  the  Llanos, 
from  whence  the  farmer  is  compelled  to  migrate  with 
his  stock  every  summer. 

I  noticed  in  Apure  three  varieties  of  grass,  which 
in  richness  of  flavor  and  nutritious  qualities  can  hardly 
be  surpassed  by  any  other  fodder  plants  of  the  tem- 
perate zones.  In  the  early  part  of  the  rainy  season, 
the  granadilla — a  grass  reaching  to  about  four  feet  in 
height,  with  tender  succulent  blades  and  panicles  of 
seed  not  unlike  some  varieties  of  broomcorn — starts 
with  the  earliest  showers  of  spring.  It  grows  with 
great  rapidity,  and  is  greedily  sought  by  all  rumi- 
nants ;  but  being  an  annual,  soon  disappears,  leaving 
no  vestige  of  its  existence.  In  the  alluvial  bottom- 
lands subject  to  th*e  periodical  inundation,  two  other 
grasses,  no  less  esteemed  for  their  nutriment,  have  an 
uninterrupted  growth  and  luxuriance  which  the  hot- 
test season  cannot  blast ;  these  are  the  carretera^ 
named  from  the  beautiful  prairie-goose  that  feeds  on 
it,  and  the  lamhedora^  so  termed  on  account  of  its 
softness,  animals  feeding  on  it  appearing  to  lick  rather 
than  masticate  it.  Cattle  and  horses  thrive  on  it  very 
perceptibly,  and  even  calves  only  a  fortnight  old,  may 
be  left  to  shift  for  themselves  amidst  those  nutritious 
pastures.  . 

Esteros  is  the  name  by  which  ttiese  perennial  mead- 
ows are  there  designated.    They  have  moreover  the 


SAVANNAS  OF  APURE. 


137 


advantage  of  retaining  water  enongli  tlirougliout  the 
year  to  make  tliem  tlie  resort  of  all  kinds  of  quadru- 
peds and  of  every  fowl  whom  "  JSTature  has  taught  to 
dip  the  wing  in  water,"  the  former  to  allay  their 
thirst  and  feast  on  the  fine  grass,  and  the  latter  for 
the  purpose  of  raising  their  young  in  the  vicinity  of 
ponds  well  stocked  with  fish  of  all  varieties. 

ISTo  description  can  convey  a  just  idea  of  the  ap- 
pearance presented  by  these  lagoons,  crowded  with 
almost  every  variety  of  animal.  The  birds  in  particu- 
lar— most  of  which  belong  to  the  extensive  family  of 
cranes — seem  to  have  migrated  there  from  all  quarters 
of  the  globe.  These  fluttering  communities  of  aquatic 
birds  are  known  in  the  country  under  the  appropriate 
name  of  garzeros^  from  the  many  garzas — herons — 
predominating  in  them.  The  immense  number  of 
these  may  be  conceived  from  the  fact  that  their  colo- 
nies sometimes  embrace  several  miles  in  extent.  I 
noticed  there  also  various  kinds  of  cranes — gar  zones — 
one  of  them,  called  the  soldier,  from  its  erect  bearing 
and  martial  air — is  over  five  feet  in  height,  w^ith  a 
bill  fully  a  foot  long.  Tlie  garzas  were  of  various 
sizes  and  colors,  some  snow-white,  some  a  delicate 
blue,  others  gray  or  pink,  and  many  of  a  brilliant 
scarlet.  Although  cranes  and  herons  are  species  very 
nearly  allied,  yet  they  verify  the  old  saying,  "  birds 
of  a. feather  flock  together,"  for  each  keeps  quite  dis- 
tinct from  the  other.  They  generally  select  the 
spreading  top  of  a  low  \)M^\—caujaro — growing  in 
vast  quantities  near  the  water,  in  which  to  build  their 
nests  ;  these  are  of  dry  sticks  very  ingeniously  inter- 
woven among  the  branches.     AY  ell-beaten  tracks  are 


138  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

made  under  the  buslies  by  the  tramp  of  many  sus- 
picions characters  of  the  feline  tribe,  who  make  these 
feathered  colonies  their  favorite  resort,  where  they 
improve  every  opportunity  of  appropriating  any 
young  birds  that  may  chance  to  fall  from  the  nests. 

As  we  rode  past  several  ponds,  covered  with  a 
kind  of  water-lily,  whose  flowers  are  of  a  dark  purple 
color,  myriads  of  ducks,  of  the  small  species  called 
guirh'ies^  rose  in  the  air,  actaally  for  the  moment  ob- 
scuring the  sun.  They  uttered  a  shrill  note,  clearly 
repeating  the  sound  from  which  they  are  named,  so 
that  the  hunter  easily  discovers  their  whereabout. 
There  were,  besides,  great  numbers  of  a  larger  species 
of  duck — the  pcdo  real,  or  royal  duck — so  named,  I 
presume,  from  a  graceful  tuft  of  black  feathers  with 
which  it  is  crowned.  Here  and  there  a  brace  of 
carreteros  soared  over  head,  uttering  their  peculiar 
rolling  notes  ;  the  hoarse  quacking  of  the  male  bird, 
followed  by  the  shrill  cries  of  the  female,  make  perfect 
the  before-mentioned  resemblance  to  the  rumbling  of 
cartwheels. 

During  the  moulting  season,  the  people  in  the 
neighborhood  of  these  lagoons  resort  to  them  from 
time  to  time,  and  drive  without  difficulty  towards  the 
farm-house  as  many  of  these  ducks  as  they  may  desire. 
I  was  assured  by  several  reliable  individuals  that  not 
far  from  San  Pablo  there  is  a  lagoon  on  the  borders 
of  v/hich  a  regiment  of  cavalry  once  encamped,  and 
lived  during  a  fortnight  exclusively  on  these  birds, 
without  any  apparent  diminution  of  their  numbers. 

This  prodigious  exuberance  of  animal  life  has 
justly  entitled  the  Apure  to  the  reputation  of  being 


SAVANNAS  OF  APURE.  139 

a  land  of  plenty  ;  but,  alas,  it  is  also  a  land  of  death ! 
as,  from  the  bottom  of  these  extensive  marshes  mias- 
mas of  a  pestilential  nature  are  continually  arising, 
wliich,  at  .certain  seasons  of  the  year,  render  this  fine 
country  almost  uninhabitable  for  man.  They  are 
also  the  abode  of  those  enormous  water-snakes  or  ana- 
condas, known  in  the  country  under  the  name  of 
culebras  de  acjua^  in  contradistinction  to  the  boa  con- 
strictor or  traga-venado^  so  termed  on  account  of  the 
ease  with  which  it  gorges  itself  with  a  whole  deer  at 
once.  Both  of  these  snakes  are  also  remarkable  for  the 
strength  which  enables  them  to  crush  their  victims  in 
the  coils  of  their  huge  muscular  bodies  ;  but  the  ana- 
conda is  by  far  the  more  voracious  and  bold  of  the 
two,  attacking  not  only  inferior  animals,  such  as 
deer,  capyvaras,  and  young  calves,  but  even  that  pride 
of  the  herd,  the  padrote^  cannot  always  escape  the 
deadly  embrace.  Woe  to  the  unsuspecting  colt  or 
heifer,  who,  panting  with  thirst  and  heat,  should  in- 
cautiously plunge  into  one  of  these  modern  Stygian 
lakes,  for  the  coil  of  the  monster  will  in  an  instant  be 
around  it,  followed  by  a  fearful  cracking  of  its  bones. 
This  accomplished,  the  snake  proceeds  to  cover  the 
whole  mangled  body  with  a  slimy  secretion  from  his 
mouth  which  assists  him  in  the  process  of  deglutition. 
Should  it  be  a  stag — the  head  of  which  presents  the 
formidable  obstacle  of  its  huge  antlers — the  snake 
commences  by  swallowing  first  the  hind  quarters, 
trusting  to  time  and  the  natural  process  of  decay  for 
the  head  to  drop  off.  In  this  plight  the  anaconda  is 
often  found,  looking  like  an  immense  log,  stretched  out 
in  the  soft  mud  of  lagoons,  whence  they  are  then  easily 


140  WILD*  SCENES    IN    SOUTH   AMERICA. 

dragged  hj  means  of  a  lazo,  tied  to  the  tail  of  a  horse. 
On  examining  the  month  of  one  of  these  snakes,  it 
will  be  found  that  the  jaws  are  furnished  with  a  row 
of  sharp  and  crooked  teeth,  bent  inward  like  tenter 
hooks ;  with  these  he  seizes  his  prey,  and  holds  it 
securely  until  the  victim,  unable  to  struggle  longer, 
drops  exhausted.  "What  appears  most  extraordinary 
in  these  unequal  contests,  is  the  tenacity  with  which 
the  snake  adheres  to  the  soft  mud  of  the  lagoon,  there 
being  neither  rock  nor  stump  to  which  he  can  secure 
himself.  ]^or  will  the  efforts  of  a  large  bull,  no  mat- 
ter how  powerful,  be  sufficient  to  drag  the  snake  one 
inch  out  of  his  element,  unless  he  is  first  cut  asunder. 
In  darting  upon  a  quadruped,  the  anaconda  inva- 
riably aims  at  its  snout,  the  animal  seldom  escaping 
when  once  the  terrible  fangs  have  been  buried  in  its 
flesh.  It  is  not  an  unusual  thing,  however,  for  a  bull 
to  cut  a  snake  asunder  in  his  violent  struggles  ;  then 
the  shaggy  victor  may  be  seen  proudly  marching  at 
the  head  of  his  troop  with  this  unsightly  trophy  liang- 
ing  from  liis  nose.  The  toughness  of  the  anaconda's 
skin  makes  it  eagerly  sought  after  by  the  inhabitants 
for  straps  and  various  other  objects  susceptible  of 
injury  from  friction,  as  they  outwear  those  made  from 
any  other  material.  The  fat  is  also  much  esteemed 
for  burning,  and  as  a  lubricator  for  tlie  bones  and 
tendons  of  persons  afflicted  with  rheumatism,  or  rigid- 
ity of  limb.  This  oil  is  perfectly  clear  and  transpa- 
rent, without  any  disagreeable  odor,  and  is  readily  ab- 
sorbed into  the  system  by  simply  rubbing  it  on  the 
skin. 

Shortly  after  leaving  San  Pablo,  we  had  a  spirited 


SAVANNAS  OF  APURE.  141 

cliase  after  a  herd  of  wild  pigs.  Tliere  were  upwards 
of  twenty  browsing  on  tlie  borders  of  a  pond,  and  in  an 
instant  the  whole  plain — in  such  repose  a  few  moments 
before — resounded  w^ith  the  cries  and  clatter  of  our 
horsemen  in  eager  pursuit  of  this  delicious  game  of 
the  Llanos.  Many  of  the  men  being  provided  with 
lances,  they  had  no  difficulty  in  despatching  most  of 
those  whose  fate  threw  them  in  the  way  of  the  re- 
morseless cavaliers.  But  an  old  herraco  or  boar, 
which  seemed  to  be  the  sultan  of  the  grisly  commu- 
nity, harassed  by  the  combined  attacks  of  several 
horsemen,  suddenly  whirled  round  and  made  a  gallant 
stand,  determined,  as  it  appeared,  not  to  give  up 
without  a  fierce  resistance.  At  first  it  was  supposed 
that  three  or  four  men  would  be  sufficient  to  bring 
him  down,  and  that  number  were  accordingly  sent 
after  him  ;  but  finding  the  engagement  protracted, 
several  others,  including  myself,  went  to  their  assist- 
ance. On  reaching  the  spot  a  fearful  spectacle  was 
presented  to  us.  Tlie  infuriated  animal,  his  eyes 
shootiiig  fire,  and  fiercely  grinding  his  tusks,  stood  at 
bay  a  short  distance  from  his  aggressors,  his  mouth 
covered  with  a  bloody  froth,  while  one  of  the  men  lay 
bleeding  profusely  from  a  wound  on  the  thigh  inflicted 
by  the  shai-p  tusks  of  the  boar.  We  learned  that 
Cipriano,  the  wounded  hunter's  name,  perceiving  that 
the  lances  of  his  companions  only  succeeded  in  irritat- 
ing the  boar,  very  foolishly  leaped  from  his  saddle, 
and  drawing  his  sword,  deliberately  attacked  him 
without  even  taking  the  precaution  of  covering  his 
movements  with  the  sheepskin  from  his  saddle,  as  is 
practised  in    contests  with  wild  bulls.     The    man 


142  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

boasted  with  reason  of  being  the  most  skilful  matador 
in  all  the  Apure  ;  but  in  this  case  he  did  not  reckon 
on  the  tough  hide  of  his  opponent ;  for,  at  the  first 
rush  of  the  boar  upon  him,  and  in  spite  of  the  steadi- 
ness with  which  he  aimed  the  stroke,  the  well-tem- 
pered steel  bent  like  a  reed  the  moment  it  encountered 
the  shoulder  of  the  boar,  leaving  Cipriano  completely 
at  the  mercy  of  the  enraged  brute.  The  consequence, 
as  I  have  already  stated,  was  a  severe  gash,  almost 
laying  bare  the  femoral  bone  of  the  unfortunate 
matador.  The  tusks  of  the  wild  boar,  especially  those 
of  the  lower  jaw,  are  so  long  and  sharp,  that  the  ani- 
mal makes  use  of  them  as  a  bull  does  of  his  horns. 
Tlie  upper  ones  rest  directly  upon  the  lower,  and  his 
constant  grinding  of  them,  especially  when  he  is  en- 
raged, soon  wears  the  points  into  a  broad  and  sharp 
edge.  United,  these  tusks  form  a  perfect  circle  five 
or  six  inches  in  diameter.  The  services  of  our  surgeon, 
Dr.  Gallegos,  were  immediately  called  into  requisition, 
who  dressed  the  wound,  while  the  companions  of  the 
sufiering  hunter  endeavored  to  avenge  him.  They 
rained  a  shower  of  lances  upon  the  body  of  the  en- 
raged beast,  but,  apparently,  with  no  better  efi'ect ; 
for,  with  one  powerful  stroke  of  his  tusks,  he  broke  in 
two  the  shaft  of  some  and  carried  away  the  head  of 
others.  Doubtless  we  should  have  succeeded  in  fin- 
ishing him  after  a  time ;  but  the  helpless  condition 
of  our  companion  requiring  especial  care,  we  placed 
him  on  his  saddle,  for  want  of  better  conveyance,  and, 
leaving  the  boar  conqueror,  proceeded  on  our  journey. 
Having  killed  more  animals  tlian  we  could  con- 
veniently carry,  we  selected  two  fat  sows  for  our 


SAVANNAS  OF  APUTIE.  143 

breakfast,  and  left  tlie  remainder  to  tlie  flock  of 
turkey-buzzards  wliicb,  like  a  troop  of  hungry  scav- 
engers, followed  our  line  of  march  across  the  prairies. 

I  may  observe  here  that  the  wild  boar  of  the 
Llanos  is  the  common  hog  run  wild  in  consequence 
of  the  little  or  no  care  bestowed  upon  their  breeding 
in  the  cattle-farms,  and  as  they  find  in  these  swamps 
all  the  elements  they  require  for  their  development, 
viz.,  roots  of  various  kinds,  sweet  herbs,  eels,  snakes, 
and  mire  ad  libitum^  their  propagation  is  greatly  in- 
creased. Thus  the  number  of  pigs  in  these  savannas  is 
almost  incredible — in  the  lands  of  El  Frio  alone  being 
estimated  at  forty  thousand — and  a  just  idea  may  be 
formed  of  their  ravages  from  the  fact  that,  for  miles 
around,  those  fine  prairies  have  been  completely 
ploughed  up  by  them,  rendering  the  ground  exceed- 
ingly'dangerous  for  horses,  and  almost  useless  for 
cattle-breeding,  by  destroying  the  fine  pastures  which 
are  invariably  replaced  by  a  crop  of  worthless  weeds. 

"Wild  hogs,  nevertheless,  sometimes  render  good 
service  by  destroying  the  snakes — for  which  they  seem 
to  have  a  particular  penchant — especially  that  little 
scourge  of  the  savannas  of  Apure,  the  dreaded  mata- 
caballo. 

Tlie  tails  of  these  hogs  being  especially  long, 
and,  as  usual,  twisted,  they  swing  them  round  con- 
tinually when  running — a  peculiarity  which  did 
not  escape  a  benighted  son  of  Africa,  who  was  being 
trained  at  a  cattle-farm  to  the  business  of  the  Llanos, 
and  which  occasioned  quite  a  ludicrous  scene  at  one 
of  these  hunts.  He  had  become  already  expert  in  the 
use  of  the  lazo,  and  was  one  day  taken  to  the  savanna 


144  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

by  the  overseer  for  the  purpose  of  procuring  an  ox  for 
slaughter,  when  they  fell  in  with  a  fine  hog,  w^hich  at 
once  changed  their  plans,  and  they  immediately  gave 
him  chase.  JSTone  of  the  men  had  lazos,  except  the 
negro,  and  he  was  therefore  commanded  to  follow 
and  secure  the  game ;  but  although  he  rode  a  very 
swift  horse,  and  was  often  within  range  of  the  lazo,  he 
was  observed  each  time  to  slacken  his  pace  without 

any   apparent    cause.     "  'Now  then, son  of 

thy  mother,"  the  Llanero  vociferated,  "let 

go  the  lazo,  or  w^e  will  roast  thee  alive  in  his  stead," 
shouting  at  him  also  many  other  no  less  characteristic 
expressions.  But  Sambo,  weaving  the  lazo  over  his 
head  in  order  to  keep  the  noose  open,  w^ould  again 
stop  short  of  his  mark,  until  the  pig,  who  probably 
knew  by  this  time  that  he  was  wanted,  straining  every 
nerve  to  reach  a  swamp  hard  by,  succeeded  at  last  in 
gaining  a  clump  of  wild  plantains  that  bordered  the 
estero.  Here  the  major-domo,  losing  his  small  rem- 
nant of  patience,  quickly  rode  up  to  him,  and  dis- 
charging sundry  lashes  with  his  chaparro  upon  the 
sooty  skin  of  his  apprentice,  asked  him,  in  a  thunder- 
ing voice :  "  How  now,  my  master^  why  did  ye  let  the 
fellow  go  without  a  single  effort  on  thy  part  to  secure 
him  ?  Have  not  I  taught  thee  well  enough  how  to 
handle  a  lazo,  thou  sooty  imp  ?  "  "  Oh  !  yessa,  mas- 
sa,"  quoth  the  darkey ;  "  but,  look  yer,  massa,  when 
m'e  wisher  to  lazo  pig,  him  wisher  to  lazo  me  nei- 
ther ;  "  imitating,  at  the  same  time,  with  his  arm  the 
swinging  of  the  pig's  tail. 

Yery  beautiful  was  the  appearance  of  the  many 
herds,  each  headed  by  its  padrote^  on  all  sides  dispers- 


SAVANNAS  OF  APURE.  245 

ing  at  our  approach.  The  bulls  are  generally  of  a 
grave  and  quiet  disposition  when  collected  in  herds, 
and  rather  avoid  the  approach  of  man  unless  provoked 
to  self-defence,  when  they  become  very  ferocious. 
Each  troop  is  under  the  control  of  the  most  j)owerful 
bull  in  the  drove,  a  position  which  is  only  attained  by 
dint  of  strength  and  courage ;  as  not  only  has  he  to 
defend  his  troop  from  the  attacks  of  the  common  ene- 
my, but  to  maintain  his  supremacy  against  rival  ena- 
morados.  Tlius  the  padrote^  or  big  father,  as  he  is 
appropriately  styled,  can  show  many  scars  upon  his 
tough  hide,  received  in  these  fierce  combats.  If  a  lion 
or  jaguar  approach  during  the  night,  the  padrote  im- 
mediately takes  all  his  measures  for  the  defence  of  his 
post.  His  first  care  is  to  compel  the  herd  into  a  com- 
pact mass,  and  then  advances  to  engage  the  enemy  in 
single  combat,  from  which  he  rarely  fails  to  come  off 
victorious.  In  the  mean  time  the  herd,  within  the 
limited  space  into  which  they  have  been  congregated, 
with  heads  lowered  towards  the  enemy,  prepare  to 
repulse  the  intruder  and  defend  their  young  by  a  for- 
midable array  of  horns. 

Man  is  the  only  antagonist  whose  superiority  the 
padrote  will  acknowledge  ;  but  even  this  is  not  with- 
out an  obstinate  resistance  whenever  he  has  an  opportu- 
nity. Nor  will  he  retire  in  a  hurry  from  his  pursuers, 
but  facing  about  from  time  to  time,  often  succeeds  in 
thwarting  their  intentions  and  securing  an  honorable 
retreat. 

When  the  sun  is  high  in  the  meridian,  troops  of 
these  noble  animals  may  be  seen  slowly  advancing 
towards  the  nearest  matay  seeking  to  avoid  the  exces- 
7 


14:6  ^ILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

sive  heat  of  the  day  and  to  enjoy  their  siesta  in  cool 
retirement.  Here  they  amuse  themselves  sometimes 
in  watching  over  their  harems,  sometimes  in  making 
their  toilet,  which  is  rubbing  the  point  of  their  horns 
against  the  hard  trunk  of  a  palm  tree,  or  any  other 
convenient  object,  until  they  become  sharp  as  awls. 
Woe !  then,  to  the  imprudent  traveller  who,  over- 
powered by  the  heat,  seeks  refuge  in  one  of  those 
groves,  thus  intruding  upon  the  sanctuary  of  his  bull- 
ship's  seraglio.  Should  he  succeed  in  escaping  safe 
and  sound,  his  horse  is  certain  of  being  severely  chas- 
tised for  his  master's  indiscretion. 

An  adventurous  Briton,  who  once  penetrated  into 
one  of  those  haunts  sacred  to  Taurus,  came  very 
near  losing  his  life  in  consequence.  He  fortunately 
escaped  with  only  a  few  scratches  and  contusions  ;  but 
his  clothes  were  torn  from  his  body  by  the  horns  and 
hoofs  of  the  bull.  It  chanced  in  this  wise  :  The  inten- 
sity of  the  sun's  rays  had  compelled  the  traveller  and 
his  companion — a  shrewd  old  Llanero,  who  acted  as 
guide — to  seek  shelter  under  a  solitary  grove.  On  a 
closer  acquaintance  they  judged  it  to  be  the  retreat 
of  a  wild  bull,  from  the  deep  scars  observable  on  the 
bark  of  the  trees,  evidently  caused  by  some  animal's 
horns.  They  were  not  mistaken,  for  they  soon  dis- 
covered at  a  short  distance,  quietly  grazing,  the  prob- 
able owner  of  the  rural  retreat.  Knowing  from  ex- 
perience that  this  would  be  a  very  unsafe  spot  for  their 
siesta,  the  Llanero  advised  that  they  should  move  off 
at  once,  rather  than  be  ejected  thence,  as  would  surely 
be  the  case  if  they  remained  mucli  longer.  But  John 
Bull,  with  characteristic  pride,  and  trusting  entirely 


SAVANNAS  OF  APURE.  147 

to  his  fine  brace  of  pistols,  laughed  at  the  idea  of  giv- 
ing np  his  comfortable  quarters,  without  at  least  a 
struggle  for  their  possession.  Ordering  the  man  to 
sling  his  hammock,  he  carefully  examined  his  pistols, 
after  which  he  retired  to  his  aerial  couch.  The  Llanero 
shook  his  head  and  verj  wisely  omitted  unsaddling 
the  horses,  contenting  himself  with  merely  unfastening 
the  straps.  Presently  the  bull  began  to  advance  in 
the  direction  of  the  Qnata,  which  the  phlegmatic  Eng- 
lishman no  sooner  perceived,  than  quitting  his  ham- 
mock, he  seized  his  pistols  and  went  to  the  encounter. 
The  Llanei'o  crossed  himself,  and  taking  the  horses 
aside,  proceeded  to  secure  the  saddles  and  to  tie  the 
lazo  to  the  tail  of  his  own  steed.  In  the  mean  time 
the  bull  continued  leisurely  advancing,  apparently 
without  much  noticing  his  uninvited  guests ;  occasion- 
ally, however,  uttering  deep  bellowings  expressive  of 
his  displeasure.  Bang  !  bang  !  went  the  two  pistols  ; 
but  before  the  smoke  had  cleared,  the  Llanero  beheld 
his  companion  stretched  upon  the  ground  and  fiercely 
trampled  under  the  feet  of  the  infuriated  animal. 
Swift  as  thought,  the  Llanero  sprang  into  the  saddle, 
and  spreading  his  lazo,  whirled  it  two  or  three  times 
above  his  head ;  then  let  it  fall  around  the  horns  of 
the  bull  at  the  very  instant  he  was  about  to  transfix 
the  prostrate  traveller.  Thus  providentially  prevent- 
ed from  doing  further  injury,  he  was  easily  hamstrung 
and  finally  despatched  by  the  captors.  That  the  Eng- 
lishman escaped  being  instantly  killed,  can  only  be 
accounted  for  by  the  fact  that  a  bull  often  misses  his 
aim  from  the  very  fury  of  his  attack. 


CHAPTER  XL 


EL    FKIO. 


On  arriving  at  El  Frio,  we  were  agreeably  sur- 
prised at  finding  more  spacious  accommodations  than 
we  had  anticipated.  The  house,  although  thatched 
like  all  the  rest  with  palm  leaves,  was  spacious  and 
well  built  of  pajareque  I  that  is,  the  framework  of  the 
walls  was  of  strong  posts  of  timber,  well  lathed  and 
plastered  over  with  soft  mud  mixed  with  straw.  In 
addition  to  a  large  sola  or  reception  room,  it  con- 
tained three  or  four  sleeping  apartments ;  but  these 
last  were  so  full  of  bats,  that  it  was  impossible  to  pass 
a  comfortable  night  in  them,  especially  on  account  of 
the  disagreeable  odor  proceeding  from  these  disgust- 
ing'  creatures,  while  the  incessant  bird-like  chirping 
sound  which  they  made  overhead,  completely  mur- 
dered our  first  night's  sleep.  "We  tried  in  vain  to 
smoke  them  out  by  means  of  dried  cow  dung.  They 
absented  themselves  during  a  portion  of  the  day,  but 
were  sure  to  return  at  dusk,  bringing  with  them  an 
abundant  supply  of  wild  berries  for  their  supper, 
some  of  which  they  were  constantly  dropping  in  our 


EL  FRIO.  149 

hammocks,  finally  compelling  us  to  seek  refuge  in  the 
open  air  of  the  corridors  and  courtyard. 

Apart  from  the  mansion  stood  a  row  of  smaller 
structures  containing  the  kitchen  and  storerooms  of 
the  farm,  which  being  useless  to  us,  we  abandoned  to 
the  bats  and  turkey-buzzards.  Our  cooking,  as  usual, 
was  left  to  our  skilful  chef  Monico  and  his  satellites, 
who  preferred  the  sans  faqon  style  of  the  camp  to 
confining  themselves  in  the  narrow  range  of  a  kitchen. 

That  which  chiefly  attracted  my  attention  at  this 
farm  was  the  substantial  nature  of  the  fence  encom- 
passing the  buildings,  capable  of  resisting  not  only 
the  sudden  rush  of  a  herd  of  cattle,  for  which  purpose 
it  was  intended,  but  also  a  heavy  cannonade,  in  case 
of  need.  It  was  constructed  of  enormous  blocks  of 
trees,  almost  impervious  to  steel  or  fire,  driven  into 
the  ground,  each  as  close  to  the  other  as  possible,  and 
neatly  trimmed  at  top  so  as  to  present  an  even  sur- 
face. I  was  unable  to  comprehend  by  what  means 
those  monster  rails  could  have  been  removed  from  the 
forest.  This,  I  afterwards  ascertained,  had  been  ac- 
complished during  the  inundation  of  the  savannas, 
when  they  are  easily  transported  in  halsas  or  rafts 
made  of  lighter  wood.  Tlie  trees  yielding  this  ever- 
lasting timber  are  two  distinct  species  of  acacias, 
known  in  the  country  under  the  euphonious  names 
of  Angelino  and  Acapro^  either  of  which  will  turn 
the  edge  of  the  best  tempered  steel  if  great  care  is  not 
used.  I  was  shown  here  two  uprights  to  the  princi- 
pal gate  of  the  majada  or  great  enclosure  for  cattle, 
nearly  a  hundred  years  old,  still  in  perfect  preserva- 


150  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

tion,  although  standing  in  soil  subject  to  alternate  in- 
undations and  parching  heats. 

The  majada^  also  formed  of  strong  posts,  was 
sufficiently  spacious  to  contain  three  thousand  an- 
imals, with  compartments  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  herds  during  the  various  operations  of  cattle 
farms.  Although  there  was  abundant  vegetable 
material  for  the  comfort  or  security  of  the  inmates,  I 
observed  here,  as  everywhere,  a  total  want  of  shade 
trees  around  the  houses.  The  Llaneros,  although 
strongly  addicted  to  the  "  sweets  of  savage  life,"  are 
decidedly  opposed  to  trees  in  the  immediate  neighbor- 
hood of  their  dwellings.  Trees,  say  they,  attract  the 
thunderbolt  of  heaven  and  the  wild  beasts  of  the  field, 
being  besides  the  natural  refuge  of  snakes  and  mos- 
quitoes during  the  great  floods.  This  lack  of  shade 
was  the  more  regretted  by  us  as  we  were  then  in  the 
midst  of  the  summer  solstice,  when  the  sun  pours  its 
vertical  rays  upon  the  dry  soil,  wdiile  each  day  be- 
tween the  hours  of  ten  and  eleven,  a  strong  breeze 
arose,  sweeping  over  the  exposed  plain,  and  bringmg 
with  it  showers  of  sand ;  this  lodged  in  our  mouths, 
eyes  and  ears,  and  mingled  with  the  food,  thus  render- 
ing it  unpalatable  even  to  our  carnivorous  appetites. 
And  yet,  but  a  short  distance  from  the  house  bloomed 
an  inviting  grove,  two  or  three  miles  in  circumfer- 
ence ;  this  a  man  of  taste  could  have  readily  converted 
into  a  delightful  abode,  especially  as  in  the  rainy  season 
the  inundation  of  the  surrounding  savannas  would 
permit  the  approach  of  vessels  from  the  Orinoco,  by 
which  the  owner  could  supply  himself  with  all  the 
comforts  of  civilized  life.     This  charming  spot  was 


EL  FKIO.  151 

further  embellished  by  a  small  lake,  where  we  daily 
watered  our  horses,  though  not  without  some  risk  to 
life  and  limb  on  account  of  the  hahas  and  caimans 
swarming  in  its  depths.  Even  the  shallower  portions 
were  so  filled  with  sting-rays,  caribes,  and  other 
aquatic  vermin,  as  to  render  bathing  in  it  extremely 
hazardous.  Our  ablutions,  therefore,  were  limited  to 
the  occasional  scrubbing  of  our  dusty  and  heated 
bodies  with  wet  towels.  The  hahas,  although  still 
more  repulsive  in  appearance  than  their  relative  of 
the  long  snout — the  crocodile — are  considered  a  hoiine 
hoiiche,  especially  the  tail,  the  flesh  of  which  is  said 
to  rival  chicken  in  its  flavor.  From  this  uninviting 
fount  of  the  desert,  hecessity  compelled  us  to  replenish 
our  gourds  each  afternoon,  that  the  particles  of  sand 
and  clay  with  which  it  was  filled  might  have  time  to 
settle  during  the  night. 

The  summer  breezes,  although  disagi'eeable  in 
many  respects,  are  yet  most  necessary,  carrying  off 
noxious  exhalations  arising  from  the  marshy  deposits 
which  remain  in  those  low  grounds  long  after  the 
waters  have  subsided  ;  otherwise  those  regions  would 
be  uninhabitable.  Tlie  Apurc  is  especially  salubrious 
in  the  dry  season,  and  were  it  not  for  their  impru- 
dences, the  inhabitants  would  enjoy  perfect  health 
during  at  least  seven  months  of  the  year.  But  these 
people,  careless  of  consequences,  and  trusting  to  their 
iron  constitutions,  are  not  deterred,  while  in  the  ex- 
citement of  a  long  chase,  from  plunging  into  one  of 
these  pestiferous  marshes  after  the  object  of  their  pur- 
suit. The  result  is  a  severe  reaction  of  the  system, 
followed  by  violent  spasms,  fevers,  or  that  most  horrid 


152  "^ILD   SCENES   m   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

of  diseases,  elephantiasis  or  mal  de  San  Lasaro^  so 
prevalent  in  the  hot  regions  of  tropical  America. 
Add  to  this  recklessness  the  great  want  of  medical 
resources  in  the  country,  and  the  consequent  wretch- 
edness and  misery  can  be  readily  imagined.  JSTever- 
theless,  the  inhabitants  seem  to  care  so  little  about 
these  endemic  vicissitudes,  that  in  time  one  accustoms 
himself  also  to  view  them  in  the  same  spirit  of  fatal- 
ism which  they  attach  to  every  event  of  their  lives. 

I  was  never  weary  of  admiring  the  beauty  of  the 
sky  and  transparency  of  the  atmosphere  at  this  season. 
Objects  three  or  four  miles  distant  appeared  as  if 
actually  only  a  few  rods  from  the  beholder,  a  circum- 
stance which  often  misled  me  when  in  my  rambles 
after  game  I  had  to  traverse  the  plain  on  foot,  occa- 
sioning frequent  disappointments  in  my  reckonings. 

Tlie  radiation  of  heat  evolved  from  the  earth  at 
night,  produced  by  the  perfect  clearness  of  the  sky, 
was  so  great  at  times  as  to  produce  a  very  sensible 
degree  of  cold,  which  rendered  the  use  of  blankets 
quite  acceptable ;  hence  the  name  of  El  Frio  given 
to  this  estate.  The  evenings,  especially,  were  so  raw 
and  chilly,  that  in  order  to  keep  warm,  we  passed  a 
great  portion  of  the  night  in  revelry  and  dancing  by 
moonlight,  although  not  one  crinoline  graced  our 
soirees.  But  we  had  excellent  dancers  of  ih.Q  Zapateo^ 
a  sort  of  "  breakdown,"  in  which  most  of  our  men 
exhibited  a  flexibility  of  feet  and  ankles  which  would 
have  done  credit  to  tlie  most  accomplished  Ethiopian 
troop. 

*  Our  host  no'  Juan  Manuel,  as  the  overseer  was 
familiarly  styled,  had  engaged  the  services  of  a  cele- 


EL  FRIO.  153 

■  brated  player  on  the  handola  from  Banco  Largo,  and 
tliere  being  no  lack  of  improvisatori  among  us,  these 
nightly  revels  were  conducted  with  all  the  eclat  that 
circumstances  would  permit.  Among  the  bards  wlio 
distinguished  themselves  most  at  such  times  were  the 
Negro  Quint  ana,  an  old  Sergeant  of  the  Guard,  whose 
constant  attendance  for  many  years  on  his  beloved 
Chief  and  "  Master,"  as  he  styled  the  General,  had 
endeared  him  to  the  latter ;  and  Sarmiento,  as  the 
other  was  named,  who  acted  in  the  capacity  of  cajpo- 
ral  to  the  cattle  farm  of  San  Pablo.  Both  of  these 
made  themselves  famous  by  the  wonderful  facility 
with  which  they  improvised  on  any  given  subject. 
They  occasionally  varied  the  performances  by  singing 
to  tlieir  guitars  ballads  whose  burden  was  invariably 
some  adventure  arising  from  the  eventful  life  in  the 
pampas.  Of  these  choice  morceaux  the  most  popular 
were  "  Mambrun,"  an  imitation  of  the  old  French 
song,  "  Malhrooh  8^ en  fut  en  guerre,^''  and  "  Marce- 
lino."  The  hero  of  this  last  was  a  renowned  bandit, 
who  for  a  long  time  baffled  all  efforts  to  capture  him, 
but  who  finally  received  his  deserts  from  the  hands 
of  a  traitor,  who  joined  his  forays  for  the  purpose  of 
betraying  him  to  his  enemies. 

Marcelino  was  a  common  peon  in  one  of  the 
cattle  farms  bordering  the  river  Matiyure,  but  being 
of  a  restless  and  daring  disposition,  preferred  the 
roving  life  of  a  bandit  to  the  more  sober  occupations 
of  the  farm.  Finding  himself  pursued  by  the  hand 
of  justice,  he  was  compelled  for  a  time  to  seek  refuge 
among  the  Indians  south  of  the  great  river  Meta,  who 
are  at  this  day  sole  tenants  of  those  immeasurable 
7* 


154:  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

wilds.  His  superior  acquirements  and  boldness  soon 
gained  liim  the  confidence  and  respect  of  the  savages, 
who  finally  adopted  him  for  their  leader,  following 
him  in  his  marauding  expeditions  against  the  defence- 
less cattle  forms  this  side  of  the  Arauca.  Embold- 
ened by  success,  they  attacked  the  wealthy  town  of 
that  name,  whence  Marcelino  carried  off  a  beautiful 
woman,  the  wife  of  a  respectable  farmer  of  the  place, 
who  employed  every  means  in  his  power  to  recover 
her.  All  efforts,  however,  were  for  a  time  fruitless, 
owing  to  the  wild  nature  of  the  country  and  the  cun- 
ning of  her  captor ;  but  he  was  finally  taken  in  one 
of  his  expeditions.  The  intention  had  been  to  send 
him  to  Achaguas,  with  which  object  he  was  well 
bound  and  placed  under  a  strong  escort ;  but  being 
a  great  favorite  with  all  classes  of  Llaneros,  who  ad- 
mire valor  in  every  form,  he  was  finally  given  in 
charge  of  the  famous  Manuel  Blanco — a  rich  land 
owner  of  the  Apure — at  the  earnest  solicitation  of  the 
latter,  who  promised  to  see  him  safely  delivered  to 
the  authorities.  On  the  way  thither,  however,  Mar- 
celino managed  to  give  his  bondsman  the  slip,  and 
escaped  to  his  favorite  haunts  again.  All  further 
attempts  to  retake  him  failing  at  that  time,  a  bold 
sambo  from  the  upper  country  volunteered  to  pene- 
trate into  the  unkno^\^l  region,  intending  to  decoy 
him  and  his  savage  band  to  a  certain  cattle  farm 
where  a  strong  picket  of  cavalry  would  lie  in  wait. 
Having  represented  to  Marcelino  that  immense 
wealth  in  money  and  jewels  was  possessed  by  the 
owners  of  the  farm,  the  bandit  concluded  to  come  out 
of  his  fastness  and  retrieve  his  former  fame  by  a  bold 


EL  FRIO.  155 

dasli  at  the  cattle  farm  of  Herradero.  On  arriving  at 
the  place,  where  matters  having  been  arranged  as  had 
been  agreed  npon  between  Maldonado — the  betray- 
er's appropriate  name — and  the  officers  of  justice,  Mar- 
celino  and  his  band  were  surprised.  He  endeavored 
to  escape,  but  Maldonado  spurring  his  horse  toward 
the  unsuspecting  bandit,  pierced  him  with  his  sword. 
"Without  delaying  he  then  pushed  on,  followed  by  the 
hateros^  to  the  camp  where  the  unfortunate  lady  was 
still  a  captive.  They  found  her  surrounded  by  a  train 
of  red  skin  dames 'of  honor,  all  of  whom  were  after- 
ward distributed  as  servants  among  the  families  of 
their  conquerors. 

IS'early  all  the  Indians  of  that  tribe  were  destroyed 
on  this  occasion,  only  a  few  escaping  to  the  Big 
Forest,  where  they  bewailed  among  the  monkeys  and 
jaguars  of  those  solitudes  the  loss  of  their  favorite 
chieftain.  Tlie  ballad  which  commemorates  the 
event,  commences : 

"  A  Marcelino  lo  mataron 
En  el  liuto'^e  Herradero, 
Y  los  ludios  lo  lloraron 
A  su  capitan  vaquero." 

Marcelino  the  bold  was  slain, 

Slain  at  the  farm  of  Herradero ; 

And  the  Indians  lament  in  vain 

Their  loved  sportsman,  chieftain  and  hero. 

Maldonado,  who  at  heart  was  a  rogue  of  the  same 
stamp  as  Marcelino,  having  tasted  of  the  independent 
roving  life  of  the  bandit,  found  it  so  congenial  that  he 
concluded  to  follow  the  illustrious   example  of  his 


156        ~       WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

former  leader  and  associate  ;  but  wanting  in  the  prin- 
cipal traits  which  had  raised  the  latter  to  his  exalted 
position,  was  speedily  destroyed  and  almost  precisely 
in  the  same  manner  which  he  had  devised  for  the 
overthrow  of  the  renowned  Marcelino.  Previous  to 
this,  however,  Maldonado,  in  imitation  of  his  former 
chieftain,  and  availing  himself  of  the  defenceless  state 
of  the  town  of  Guasdualito,  attempted  to  carry  off 
from  thence  la  Yillafaiie,  a  lady  celebrated  for  her 
beauty.  With  this  intent,  he  brought  to  her  door  a 
horse  already  saddled  for  her,  and  commanded  her  to 
mount  and  follow  him.  This  she  indignantly  refused 
to  do  ;  but  finding  all  entreaties  and  resistance  of  no 
avail,  she  seized  some  poison  from  a  drawer  at  hand, 
and  with  resolution  worthy  of  a  Roman  matron, 
placed  it  to  her  lips,  exclaiming,  as  she  did  so,  that 
she  would  surely  swallow  it  if  ho  did  not  instantly 
quit  her  presence.  The  threat  proved  successful ;  for 
the  bandit,  awed  by  her  heroism,  left  her. 

The  business  of  the  pampas  required  us  to  be  up 
at  the  first  peep  of  dawn.  A  cup  of  coifee  and  milk, 
mixed  with  ground  parched  corn — which  I  would 
recommend  to  all  travellers  on  long  journeys  of  this 
sort — served  us  until  breakfast  time.  I  amused  my- 
self during  the  day  sketching  in  company  with  my 
friend,  Mr.  Thomas,  while  the  men  made  their  prep- 
arations for  a  grand  hunt  among  the  cattle  of  the 
estate.  The  most  important  of  these  arrangements 
was  that  of  manufacturing  from  hides  sufficient  lazos 
for  the  sport.  There  is  a  marked  diff"erence  between 
the  skins  of  bullocks  raised  in  the  shady  parts  of  the 


EL  FRIO.  157 

Llanos  and  those  roaming  wild  over  the  deserts  of  the 
^  Apure.  Although  the  former  are  much  tliicker,  the 
lazos  made  from  the  hides  of  cattle  constantly  ex- 
posed to  the  sun's  rays  are  infinitely  stronger.  The 
lazo  is  easily  made.  A  fresh  hide,  spread  upon  the 
ground  with  the  hair  downward,  is  neatly  cut  into  a 
long  strap  two  inches  wide.  This  is  twisted  into  a 
tight  thong  and  stretched  out  to  dry  between  two 
posts,  after  which  it  is  well  rubbed  with  fat.  When 
thoroughly  dried,  a  loop  is  made  at  one  end  ;  through 
this,  when  required  for  use,  the  thong  is  passed,  forming 
the  noose  or  lazo  proper,  while  the  other  end  is  firmly 
tied  to  the  horse's  tail,  using  its  long  hair  for  the  pur- 
pose. In  other  parts  of  South  America  they  fasten 
the  lazo  to  a  ring  in  the  saddle ;  but  this  arrangement, 
besides  causing  too  great  strain  upon  the  horse's  back, 
is  fraught  with  danger  to  the  rider  in  case  of  a  recoil 
from  the  thong  if  a  break  occur.  The  thorough  train- 
ing which  horses  receive  in  the  Llanos  is  invaluable 
in  such  cases,  as  not  only  does  the  success  of  the  chase 
depend  on  the  readiness  with  which  he  obeys  his 
rider,  but  even  after  the  game  is  secured  with  the 
lazo,  it  is  necessary  that  the  horse  should  range  in- 
stantly on  a  line  with  the  struggling  victim ;  but 
unless  this  is  effected  before  the  strain  comes  upon 
the  lazo,  the  horse  and  his  rider  are  inevitably  over- 
thrown. The  hunter,  at  the  moment  of  using  the  lazo, 
coils  a  portion  of  the  thong,  which  he  holds  with  his 
left  hand,  and  with  the  rest  forms  the  running  noose, 
which  is  repeatedly  whirled  around  his  head  to  keep 
it  open.  When  within  reach  of  his  mark,  he  aims  at 
the  animal's  head  and  throws  the  noose  in  such  a 


158  WILD   SCENES   IN    SOUTH   AMERICA. 

manner  as  to  cause  a  rapid  uncoiling  of  the  thong  in 
his  left  hand.  Some  Llaneros  are  so  expert  as  to 
entangle  at  the  same  instant  the  feet  and  head  of 
the  animal,  on  which  he  is  quickly  brought  to  the 
ground. 

We  were  joined  at  El  Frio  by  another  party  of 
cattle  hunters,  under  the  leadership  of  an  old  ac- 
quaintance. Colonel  Castejon,  widely  celebrated  in 
the  Llanos  for  great  bravery  and  skill  in  the  pursuits 
of  the  country.  He  came  to  help  us  in  the  hunt  after 
wild  cattle,  and  to  help  himself  to  as  many  animals 
as  he  could  drive  home  with  his  party.  We  also  had 
the  honor  of  a  visit  from  the  Governor  of  the  Prov- 
ince, Seiior  Arciniega,  a  jovial,  talkative,  and  well- 
informed  functionary,  and  the  most  accomplished 
marksman  of  the  Apure.  It  was  therefore  proposed 
to  have  a  grand  shooting  match  in  the  open  field,  and 
with  this  view  we  all  started  one  morning  for  a  creek 
called  Macanillal,  about  three  miles  distant,  intending 
to  use  the  crocodiles,  by  far  the  most  difficult  animal 
to  shoot,  as  targets.  On  entering  the  woody  banks 
of  the  creek,  we  were  agreeably  surprised  to  discover 
on  the  soft  mud  evident  proofs  that  we  had  come  in 
the  right  direction,  not  only  for  our  anticipated  sport 
with  the  water  monsters,  but  also  that  we  were  likely 
to  have  a  brush  with  even  a  more  formidable  antag- 
onist— the  jaguar.  Footprints  of  this  splendid  an- 
imal were  so  numerous,  that  we  forgot  for  a  time  the 
crocodiles  and  made  diligent  search  for  the  nobler 
game.  We  had  small  success,  however,  having  no 
dogs  with  us  to  drive  him  from  the  jungle ;  for,  un- 


EL  FRIO.  159 

less  he  has  the  advantage  over  his  adversaries,  the 
jaguar  never  shows  himself  in  the  daj-time. 

As  we  came  in  sight  of  the  water,  I  was  aston- 
ished at  seeing  its  whole  surface  bubbling  as  if  in  a 
state  of  effervescence,  and  at  finding  also  on  nearer 
inspection  that  this  was  occasioned  by  the  blowing 
close  to  the  water's  surface  of  millions  of  coporos. 
Other  varieties  of  fish  were  also  so  abundant,  that  we 
^  shot  many  near  the  shore,  among  them  a  very  fine 
catfish. 

The  report  of  the  guns  brought  to  the  surface 
nimabers  of  crocodiles,  which  we  prepared  to  assail 
from  the  high  bank  of  the  creek.  To  our  honorable 
guest,  the  Governor,  was  conceded  the  privilege  of 
shooting  the  first,  which  he  did  with  great  accuracy, 
sending  a  ball  directly  through  one  of  the  creature's 
eyes.  Still  the  shot  did  not  kill  him  instantly,  as 
would  have  been  the  result  with  any  other  animal ; 
and  he  plunged  through  the  creek  for  a  time  at  a 
furious  rate,  lashing  the  water  with  his  powerful  tail, 
and  causing  great  commotion  among  the  finny  mul- 
titude. The  other  crocodiles  in  lieu  of  being 
alarmed  with  the  uproar,  were  only  rendered  more 
inquisitive,  dashing  forward  with  gleaming  eyes  and 
tusks,  which  so  fascinated  my  friend  the  English 
artist,  as  rather  endangered  his  safety  in  his  eager- 
ness to  get  a  thorough  view  of  the  reptiles.  Forget- 
ting his  proximity  to  the  precipice,  he  approached  it 
so  nearly  as  to  miss  his  footing,  and  would  doubtless 
have  rolled  into  one  of  the  open  jaws  below  him,  but 
for  the  prompt  assistance  of  a  companion,  who  caught 
him  as  he  was  in  the  act  of  falling. 


160  WILD    SCENES    IX    SOUTH   AMERICA. 

From  the  same  place  wliere  the  first  shot  was 
fired,  we  succeeded  in  killing  or  wounding  not  less 
than  twenty  crocodiles  ;  but  the  banks  being  high 
and  precipitous,  we  could  not  secure  the  carcases. 
One  of  these,  which  lay  stranded  on  a  sand  bank 
across  the  creek,  being  characterized  by  a  singular 
hump  on  his  back,  which  added  to  his  already  mon- 
strous size,  I  felt  a  great  desire  to  examine  more 
closely.  To  accomplish  this,  it  was  necessary  to  ford 
the  creek  lower  down,  where  I  was  assured  the  water 
was  sufficiently  low  to  allow  of  walking  over.  The 
undertaking  was  not,  however,  without  considerable 
risk  from  the  numerous  sting-rays  and  caribes.  But 
my  interest  in  all  pertaining  to  Nature's  works  helped 
me  over  to  the  other  side,  whither  I  was  accompanied 
by  Roseliano,  a  youth  attached  to  my  family,  famed 
as  a  dare-devil.  With  his  assistance  I  dragged  the 
crocodile  partly  out  of  water,  and  was  examining  the 
load  which  nature  had  placed  upon  his  back,  when 
Roseliano  perceived  a  movement  of  one  of  his  eyes, 
the  other  having  been  shattered  by  the  bullet ;  we 
supposed  he  had  been  by  this  time  quite  dead.  My 
young  companion,  who  had  expressed  his  suspicions 
that  the  crocodile  was  only  feigning  death,  wishing 
to  ascertain  the  truth,  proposed  stabbing  him  in  the 
armpit  with  his  dagger.  Before  permitting  this,  I 
insisted  upon  securing  the  jaws  by  means  of  a  large 
stake  which  we  sharpened  at  one  end  and  plunged 
into  his  nostrils,  and  I  then  leaned  upon  it  with  the 
whole  weight  of  my  body.  This  precaution  saved 
my  companion,  but  came  very  near  proving  fatal  to 
myself,  as  the  instant  the  crocodile  felt  the  cold  steel 


EL  FRIO.  Igl^ 

between  his  ribs  he  raised  his  enormous  head,  lifting 
me  at  least  a  foot  from  the  ground ;  but  was  pre- 
vented from  injuring  me  by  the  stake  which  he 
caught  between  his  powerful  tusks,  shattering  it  to 
splinters,  and  then  retreated  to  the  middle  of  the 
creek.  His  triumph  was,  however,  of  short  dura- 
tion ;  for,  the  blood  oozing  in  torrents  from  his 
wounds,  he  quickly  fell  a  prey  to  thousands  of 
hungry  caribes. 

Sir  Robert  Schomburgh  relates  an  incident  which 
occurred  during  his  ascent  of  the  river  Berbice,  and 
which  further  demonstrates  the  tenacity  of  life  in  the 
cayman.  "One  was  fired  at,  floating,  and  the  ball 
took  off  the  end  of  the  snout ;  it  received  another  im- 
mediately afterward  in  the  hinder  part  of  the  skull 
which  appeared  to  have  taken  effect ;  still,  the  In- 
dians were  not  sparing  in  thieir  blows,  and  when  there 
was  not  much  likelihood  of  its  possessing  a  spark  of 
life,  it  was  deposited  on  the  bow  of  one  of  the  corials. 
While  the  corial  was  drawn  across  the  rapids,  two  of 
the  Arawaaks  got  courage  and  took  it  up  in  order  to 
lay  it  in  a  more  convenient  place ;  they  had  just 
effected  this,  when  at  one  bound  it  jumped  out  into 
the  river  and  disappeared.  The  Indians  looked  quite 
stupefied,  and  never  afterward  could  be  persuaded  to 
touch  a  cayman." 

The  creek  of  Macanillal  is  also  famous  for  its  many 
water-dogs,  or  2^<^rros  de  agua  (Myopotamus  coypos) 
and  nutrias.  The  latter  is  a  large  species  of  otter 
with  a  fine  glossy  fur.  The  former  resembles  a 
beaver  very  closely,  but  has  a  round  tail  similar  to 
that  of  the  opossum.     Both  animals  live  in  the  water, 


162  WILD    SCENES  IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

coming  out  occasionally  to  sun  themselves  on  the 
sand  banks.  In  a  hut  near  the  scene  of  our  last 
crocodile  adventure  I  saw  a  skin  of  the  water-dog 
which  measured  five  feet  in  length,  exclusive  of  the 
tail ;  but  although  I  often  made  diligent  search  for 
this  singular  amphibious  animal,  I  never  had  an  op- 
portunity of  making  his  acquaintance.  Like  the 
otter  he  is  extremely  shy,  and  only  the  practised  eye 
of  an  Indian  can  trace  him  near  the  surface  of  the 
water  when  he  rises  to  breathe. 

I  also  sought  in  vain  for  the  manati^  (Trichetus 
manatus,)  another  amphibious  animal  very  common  in 
Apure  during  the  season  of  floods,  when  it  leaves  the 
beds  of  the  great  rivers  to  feed  on  the  grass  of  the 
savannas.  It  is  between  ten  and  fifteen  feet  in  length, 
and  weighs  from  five  to  eight  hundred  pounds.  Its 
shape  resembles  that  of  a  seal,  although  considerably 
longer,  with  a  smooth  skin  and  rather  small  eyes. 
The  flesh  of  the  manati  is  very  savory,  on  which  ac- 
count, as  well  as  for  the  abundance  of  fat  it  yields, 
the  Indians  wage  relentless  war  against  it. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

BIRDS   OF   ILL   OMEN  AND   CARRION   HAWKS. 

The  distant  bellowing  of  bulls  assembling  their 
herds — sure  sign  that  the  tiger  was  prowling  near 
them — lulled  us  pleasantly  to  sleep  in  our  hammock- 
beds  after  the  fatigues  and  labors  of  the  day.  Not 
unfrequently  we  were  treated  to  a  serenading  chorus 
of  araguatos  or  howling  monkeys,  and  to  the  hootings 
of  the  tltiriji  or  tiger-owl  of  the  pampas,  whose  pecu- 
liar cries  might  be  readily  mistaken,  by  an  unaccus- 
tomed ear,  for  the  angry  growl  of  that  spotted  bandit 
of  the  forest — the  jaguar.  The  neighboring  woods 
were  also  the  haunts  of  several  other  species  of  owls 
and  goat-suckers,  whose  dreary  notes  wake  mournful 
echoes  by  night  and  fill  superstitious  imaginations 
with  fearful  and  foreboding  visions. 

The  tiger-owl,  which  may  be  said  to  rank  among 
the  feathered  tribe  as  does  the  jaguar  or  American 
tiger  among  beasts,  is  nearly  the  size  of  a  domestic 
turkey.  Like  his  powerful  prototype,  he  is  spotted 
with  black,  and  seldom  makes  himself  heard  except- 


y 


164  WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

ing  at  niglit,  when  calling  on  his  mate  ;  or  during  his 
nocturnal  expeditions  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
farmyard.  He  is  then,  not  only  a  terror  to  the  de- 
fenceless brood,  but  also  to  the  younger  inmates  of 
the  house,  who  look  upon  him  with  a  kind  of  super- 
stitious awe,  on  which  account  he  sometimes  escapes 
punishment. 

Less  imposing  in  size  than  the  preceding — although 
more  terrifying  in  their  way — are  the  ya-acdbo  and  the 
fowita — two  other  species  of  owl  considered  harbin- 
gers of  calamity  or  death,  when  heard  fluttering 
around  a  house.  The  first  portends  an  approaching 
death  among  the  inmates,  and  is  therefore  looked 
upon  with  dread  even  by  men  who  would  not  flinch 
at  the  sight  of  the  most  formidable  bull  or  jaguar. 
Yet  that  appalling  cry,  ya  acabo  !  ya  acdbo  ! — it  is 
finished  I  it  is  finished  ! — seems  so  fraught  with  evil 
mystery,  that  few  hear  it  unmoved.  The  only  expe- 
dient resorted  to,  in  such  cases,  is  to  form  a  cross  with 
hot  ashes  in  front  of  the  house,  which,  it  is  believed, 
will  drive  away  this  ill-omened  messenger.  The  jpavita 
— although  not  larger  than  a  turtle-dove,  is  also  con- 
sidered pajaro  de  Trial  aguero — a  bird  of  ill-omen — . 
being  no  less — they  say — than  the  departed  spirit  of 
some  good-natured  relative  come  to  warn  his  kindred 
against,  approaching  calamity.  In  these  cases,  as  it  is 
believed  that  nothing  is  so  acceptable  to  the  poor  soul 
as  a  few  Pater  Nosters  and  Ave  Marias,  they  usually 
try  to  disembarrass  themselves  of  the  unwelcome 
visitor  by  reciting  aloud  several  of  these  prayers,  after 
crossing  themselves  twice  with  much  devotion.  When- 
ever this  owl's  dreaded  cry  is  heard,  it  is  certain  to 


BIRDS  OF  ILL  OMEN   AND  CARRION  HAWKS.         IQ^ 

be  followed  by  a  scene  of  great  confusion  and  dismay : 
the  children  run  to  the  women  and  hide  behind  their 
skirts ;  the  women  seek  protection  from  the  men ; 
while  these  content  themselves  with  muttering  the 
holy  invocation  Ave  Maria  Purisima  !  which  is  ever 
with  them  the  favorite  talisman  against  danger. 

Great  varieties  of  goat-suckers — not  unlike  huge 
butterflies  fluttering  in  the  light  evening  breeze — also 
make  their  appearance  at  sundown,  when  may  be 
heard  their  singularly  harsh  notes  closely  resembling 
human  articulations. 

"  The  harmless,  unoffending  goat-sucker,  from  the 
time  of  Aristotle  down  to  the  present  day  " — says 
Waterton  in  his  "  Wanderings  " — "  has  been  in  dis- 
grace with  man.  Father  has  handed  down  to  son, 
and  author  to  author,  that  this  nocturnal  thief  subsists 
by  milking  the  flocks.  Poor  injured  little  bird  of 
night !  how  sadly  hast  thou  suffered,  and  how  foul  a 
stain  has  inattention  to  facts  put  upon  thy  character ! 
Thou  hast  never  robbed  man  of  any  part  of  his  prop- 
erty, nor  deprived  the  kid  of  a  drop  of  milk." 

"  When  the  moon  shines  bright,  you  may  have  a 
fair  opportunity  of  examining  the  goat-sucker.  You 
will  see  it  close  by  the  cows,  goats,  and  sheep,  jump- 
ing up  every  now  and  then,  under  their  bellies.  Ap- 
proach a  little  nearer — he  is  not  shy,  'he  fears  no 
danger  for  he  knows  no  sin.'  See  how  the  nocturnal 
flies  are  tormenting  the  herd,  and  with  what  dexter- 
ity he  springs  up  and  catches  them  as  fast  as  they 
alight  on  the  belly,  legs  and  udder  of  the  animals. 
Observe  how  quiet  they  stand,  and  how  sensible  they 
seem  of  his  good  oflices,  for  they  neither  strike  at  him, 


166  WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

nor  liit  him  with  their  tails,  nor  tread  on  him,  nor  try 
to  drive  him  away  as  an  uncivil  intruder.  Were  you 
to  dissect  him  and  inspect  his  stomach,  you  would 
find  no  milk  there.  It  is  full  of  the  flies  which  have 
been  annoying  the  herd. 

"  The  prettily  mottled  plumage  of  the  goat-sucker, 
like  that  of  the  owl,  wants  the  lustre  which  is  observ- 
ed in  the  feathers  of  the  birds  of  day.  This,  at  once, 
marks  him  as  a  lover  of  the  pale  moon's  nightly  beams. 
There  are  nine  species  here  "  (in  Demerara).  "  The 
largest  appears  nearly  the  size  of  the  English  wood- 
owl.  Its  cry  is  so  remarkable,  that  having  once  heard 
it,  you  will  never  forget  it.  When  night  reigns  over 
these  immeasurable  wilds,  whilst  lying  in  your  ham- 
mock, you  will  hear  this  goat-sucker  lamenting  like 
one  in  deep  distress.  A  stranger  would  never  con- 
ceive it  to  be  the  cry  of  a  bird.  He  would  say  it  was 
the  departing  voice  of  a  midnight  murdered  victim, 
or  the  last  wailing  of  Niobe  for  her  poor  children,  be- 
fore she  was  turned  into  stone.  Suppose  yourself  in 
hopeless  sorrow,  begin  with  a  high  loud  note,  and  pro- 
nounce, '  ha,  ha,  ha,  ha,  ha,  ha,  ha,'  each  note  lower 
and  lower,  till  the  last  is  scarcely  heard,  pausing  a 
moment  or  two  betwixt  every  note,  and  you  will  have- 
some  idea  of  the  moaning  of  the  largest  goat-sucker  in 
Demerara. 

"  Four  other  species  of  the  goat-sucker  articulate 
some  words  so  distinctly,  tliat  they  have  received  their 
names  from  the  sentences  they  utter,  and  absolutely 
bewilder  the  stranger .  on  his  arrival  at  these  parts. 
The  most  common  one  sits  down  close  by  your  door, 
and  flies  and  alights  three  or  four  yards  before  you,  as 


\ 


BIRDS  OF  ILL  OMEN  AND  CARRION  HAWKS.        1^7 

jou  walk  along  the  road,  crying,  '  Who  are  you,  who, 
who,  who  are  you  ? '  Another  bids  you,  '  Work  away, 
work,  work,  work  away.'  A  third  cries  mournfully, 
'  Willy,  come  go,  Willy,  Willy,  Willy  come  go.'  And 
high  up  the  country  a  fourth  tells  you  '  Whip  poor 
Will,  whip,  whip,  whip  poor  Will.' "  * 

There  is  a  bird,  however,  among  these  nocturnal 
serenaders  which  impresses  you  with  very  different 
feelings  from  those  produced  by  the  owl  species  :  this 
is  the  Gallineta  de  ononte  or  forest-hen,  a  most  beau- 
tiful creature  both  in  color  and  in  shape,  and  not  un- 
like a  water-hen  in  general  appearance,:  the  eyes 
especially  are  peculiarly  i)retty,  being  of  a  brilliant 
ruby  color  and  scintillate  like  fire.  These  birds  sing 
in  concert,  and  their  song — a  lively  chatter — has  a 
mystic  fascination  I  am  unable  to  describe.  They 
are  also  considered  delicate  eating ;  but  unfortunately 
are  very  difficult  to  catch,  for  even  after  being  sliot, 
unless  wounded  in  the  leg,  they  can  outstrip  the  swift- 
est hound,  although  their  wings,  being  very  small, 
avail  them  little.  Nature,  however,  has  provided 
them  with  long  yellow  legs  for  the  purpose. 

The  ponds  and  lagoons  of  the  savannas  are  literally 
crowded  with  other  individuals  of  the  feathered  tribe, 
whose  lively  notes  and  incessant  chatterings  contribute' 
likewise  to  enliven  the  night.  Tlie  most  conspicuous 
among  them  are  various  species  of  teal-ducks,  such  as 
guires  and  yaguasos^  and  a  long-legged  plover — alcar- 
avan. — This  last  has  the  peculiarity  of  uttering  a  long, 
shrill  sound  at  hourly  intervals,  thus  marking  every 

*  Wanderings  in  South  America. 


168  WILD   SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

hour  of  the  night  after  the  manner  of  a  clock's  alarum. 
It  is  easily  domesticated  in  the  houses,  where  it  ren- 
ders some  service,  not  only  by  marking  time,  but  also 
by  giving  warning  of  the  approach  of  strangers. 

The  aruco  is  another  bird  of  large  size,  whose 
drum-like  notes  are  often  heard  in  the  stillness  of 
night.  In  size  and  plumage  it  greatly  resembles  a 
turkey  ;  but  its  flesh  is  so  spongy,  that  in  lifting,  one 
of  these  uncouth  birds  from  the  ground,  it  appears  like 
a  mere  bundle  of  feathers.  The  wings  of  the  male  are 
provided  with  a  pair  of  sharp  spurs,  with  which,  when 
fighting,  they  greatly  injure  one  another. 

Another  feature  of  the  cattle-farm  is  the  great  num- 
ber of  carrion  vultures  and  other  birds  of  prey  con- 
stantly hovering  around  the  houses  and  corrals,  attract- 
ed thither  by  the  carcasses  of  dead  animals.  The  most 
conspicuous  among  them  is  the  zamuro  or  gallinazo^ 
(Cathartes  Atratus,)  that  constant  companion  of  rude 
civilization  in  all  tropical  countries,  but  an  indolent, 
greedy  and  disgusting  associate.  As,  how^ever,  they  oc- 
casionally render  service  in  the  capacity  of  scavengers, 
they  are  generally  tolerated  among  the  fowl  of  the  farm- 
yard. It  is  a  gregarious  bird,  and  collects  in  large 
flocks  on  the  roof  and  fences,  where,  with  know^ing 
glances,  they  seem  to  be  scanning  all  the  actions  of 
the  inmates.  I  often  amused  myself  in  threatening 
them  with  a  missile  of  some  sort ;  but  they  never  ap- 
peared to  notice  it,  until  they  perceived  me  to  be  in 
earnest :  then  with  wings  half  spread  and  leaning  for- 
ward, they  watched  intently  the  moment  when  I  should 
hurl  it  at  them  to  evade  it  by  flight  or  a  dodge  of  the 
head. — ^They  build  their  nests  in  lioles  which  they  dig 


BIRDS  OF   ILL  OMEN   AND   CARKTON   HAWKS.         J^Q 

in  the  ground.  Their  young  are  white,  gradually 
changing  to  black  as  they  grow  older,  and  only  two 
are  raised  by  the  parent  every  year.  Although  essen- 
tially carrion  feeders,  the  olfactories  of  these  birds  are 
not  so  sensitive  as  to  discover  for  them  a  dead  animal 
— as  many  suppose ;— but  their  sight  is  very  good. 
They  fly  to  immense  heights,  and  thence  examine  every 
portion  of  the  ground  below  them.  In  doing  this  they 
may  often  be  observed  on  motionless  wing,  whirling 
round  and  round  in  graceful  evolutions. 

With  the  zamuro  is  often  associated  another  carrion 
vulture,  the  orijpopo  or  turkey-buzzard,  (Yultur  aura,) 
of  the  same  size  and  with  similar  habits  to  the  former. 
It  differs  however,  from  its  relative  in  color — which  is 
dark  brown — and  in  having  its  neck  more  destitute  of 
feathers.  It  is  also  more  elegant  in  form  and  in  its 
graceful  evolutions  through  the  air  than  the  black 
vulture.  The  turkey-buzzard  has  a  wide  geographical 
range,  having  been  met  by  Audubon  as  far  north  as 
Pennsylvania,  and  by  Darwin  in  the  arid  plains  of 
Patagonia  and  Tierra  del  Fuego.  When  soaring 
through  the  upper  regions  of  the  air,  it  can  be  at  once 
recognized  by  its  long,  sweeping  flight,  accompanied 
by  a  buzzing  sound,  much  like  the  gust  of  the  whirl- 
wind, and  perfectly  audible  from  a  great  distance. 

The  Bey-Zamuro,  or  king  of  the  vultures,  (Yultur 
papa,)  larger  than  the  foregoing,  is  the  most  beautiful 
of  its  kind.  Its  plumage,  resembling  down  in  softness 
and  fineness,  is  of  a  pearly  white,  excepting  the  wings, 
which  are  tipped  with  black.  Tlie  breast  and  neck, 
although  entirely  bare  of  feathers,  are  decked  in  the 
most  brilliant  tint  of  blue,  orange,  and  red,  while  a  sort 
8 


170  WILD    SCENES    IN   SOUTH    AMERICA. 

of  membranous  excrescence  crowns  the  head,  giving 
it  a  truly  royal  appearance. 

This  King  of  the  vultures  has  also  very  aristocratic 
habits,  never  associating  with  any,  not  even  those  of 
his  own  tribe.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  when  he 
alights  upon  a  carcass,  amidst  a  flock  of  other  vultures, 
all  these  last  retire,  or  make  a  circle  round  the  ban- 
quet. When  his  majesty  has  dined,  he  flies  oif,  utter- 
ing a  loud  cry,  and  only  then  his  subjects  venture  to 
approach  the  carrion. 

There  is  in  the  more  elevated  part  of  the  adjoining 
province  of  Barinas,  another  bird  of  the  same  class — 
Yultur  barbatus — which  partakes  of  the  eagle  and  the 
vulture,  but  is  larger  than  either.  It  is  called  in  con- 
sequence gavilucho — eagle-hawk — and  has  been  seen 
at  times  descending  toward  the  plains.  The  legs  and 
wings  are  very  long  and  powerful.  It  is  said  to  be 
very  handsome,  but  it  is  extremely  shy  of  man.  The 
plumage  is  bluish,  red,  white  and  yellow.  This 
bird  joins  to  the  boldness  and  cruelty  of  the  eagle,  the 
loathsome  voracity  of  the  vultures.  It  prefers  live 
flesh,  especially  that  of  small  quadrupeds,  and  preys 
principally  upon  rabbits,  goats,  sheep  and  even  young 
calves.  It  raises  only  one  brood  in  a  season,  and 
builds  its  nest  amidst  the  most  inaccessible  ledges  of 
the  Cordilleras. 

I  will  close  the  list  of  the  can-ion  birds  of  Yene- 
zuela  with  enumerating  two  others,  nearly  allied  to 
the  hawk,  but  partaking  also  of  the  characteristics  of 
the  eagle.  These  are  the  earicari  and  chiriguare 
(Polyborus  Brasiliensis  and  P.  Chimango)  correspond- 
ing to  the  ca/racaras  and  carrancha  of  Brazil  and 


BIRDS  OF  ILL  OMEN  AND  CARRION  HAWKS.        171 

Buenos  Ayres,  concerning  which  Darwin  has  given 
tliis  graphic  account : 

"The  caracaras  are  from  their  structure  placed 
among  the  eagles  :  we  shall  soon  see  how  ill  they  be- 
come so  high  a  rank.  In  their  habits  they  will  supply 
the  place  of  our  carrion  crows,  magpies  and  ravens,  a 
tribe  of  birds  widely  distributed  over  the  rest  of  the 
world,  but  entirely  absent  in  South  America. 

"  The  carranchas,  together  with  the  chimango, 
constantly  attend  in  numbers  the  estancias  and 
slaughtering-houses.  If  an  animal  dies  on  the  plain, 
the  gallinazo  commences  the  feast,  and  then  the  two 
species  of  Polyborus  pick  the  bones  clean.  These 
birds,  although  thus  commonly  feeding  together,  are 
far  from  being  friendly.  When  the  carrancha  is 
quietly  seated  on  the  branch  of  a  tree  or  on  the 
ground,  the  chimango  often  continues  for  a  long  time 
flying  backward  and  forward,  up  and  down,  in  a 
semicircle,  trying  each  time  at  the  bottom  of  the 
curve  to  strike  its  larger  relative.  Although  the 
carranchas  frequently  assemble  in  numbers,  they  are 
not  gregarious  ;  for  in  desert  places  they  may  be  seen 
solitary,  or  more  commonly  in  pairs. 

"  The  carranchas  are  said  to  be  very  crafty,  and 
to  steal  great  numbers  of  eggs.  Tliey  attempt,  also, 
together  with  the  chimango,  to  pick  off  the  scabs 
from  the  sore  backs  of  horses  and  mules.  The  poor 
animal,  on  the  one  hand,  with  its  ears  down  and  its 
back  arched,  and,  on  the  other  hand,  the  hovering 
bird,  eyeing  at  the  distance  of  a  yard  the  disgusting 
morsel,  form  a  picture,  which  has  been  described  by 
Captain  Head  with  his  own  peculiar  spirit  and  ac- 


172  WII^^   SCENES   IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

curacy.'  These  false  eagles  rarely  kill  any  living  bird 
or  animal  ;  and  tlieir  vulture-like,  necrophagous 
habits  are  very  evident  to  any  one  who  has  fallen 
asleep  on  the  desolate  plains  of  Patagonia,  for  when 
he  wakes  he  will  see,  on  each  surrounding  hillock, 
one  of  these  birds  patiently  watching  him  with  an 
evil  eye ;  it  is  a  feature  in  tlie  landscape  of  these 
countries,  which  will  be  recognized  by  every  one  who 
has  wandered  over  them.  If  a  party  of  men  go  out 
hunting  with  dogs  and  horses,  they  will  be  accom- 
panied during  the  day  by  several  of  these  attendants. 
After  feeding,  the  uncovered  craw  protrudes ;  at 
such  times,  and  indeed,  generally,  the  carrancha  is  an 
inactive,  tame,  and  cowardly  bird.  Its  flight  is  heavy 
and  slow,  like  that  of  an  English  rook.  It  seldom  soars ; 
but  I  have  twice  seen  one  at  a  great  height  gliding 
through  the  air  with  great  ease.  It  runs,  (in  contra- 
distinction to  hopping,)  but  not  quite  so  quickly  as 
some  of  its  congeners.  At  times  the  carrancha  is 
noisy,  but  is  not  generally  so ;  its  cry  is  loud,  very 
harsh  and  peculiar,  and  may  be  likened  to  the  sound 
of  the  Spanish  guttural  g,  followed  by  a  rough  double 
r  r ;  when  uttering  this  cry,  it  elevates  its  head  higher 
and  higher,  till  at  last,  with  its  beak  wide  open,  the 
crown  almost  touches  the  lower  part  of  the  head. 
This  fact,  which  has  been  doubted,  is  quite  true." 

These  birds  are,  however,  a  great  blessing  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Llanos,  who  are  indebted  to  them, 
not  only  for  the  destruction  of  vast  numbers  of  snakes 
and  other  reptiles,  but  for  the  service  they  render 
conjointly  with  the  vultures  in  consuming  the  offal 
near  houses.    They  seek  their  food  both  in  dry  lands 


BIRDS  OF  ILL  OMEN  AND  CARRION  HAWKS.        I73 

and  amidst  the  swampy  borders  of  rivers  ;  on  the  one 
they  find  serpents  and  lizards  in  abundance ;  in  the 
other  terrapins,  frogs  and  small  crocodiles.  They 
are  peculiar  in  always  killing  their  prey  before  com- 
mencino:  to  devour  it.  If  the  caricari  meet  with  a 
serpent  or  young  crocodile  large  enough  to  oppose  a 
long  resistance,  he  approaches  it  sideways,  shielded 
by  one  of  his  wings  spread  out,  and  striking  his  prey 
near  the  head  with  his  bill,  retires  to  a  short  distance 
to  Avatch  the  result.  A  second  blow  is  usually  fatal, 
upon  which,  seizing  his  victim  in  his  claws,  he  tears 
it  with  his  bill.  The  sluggish  tortoises  and  terrapins 
are  easy  prey  for  the  caricari  ;  these  he  renders  help- 
less by  turning  them  upon  their  backs,  then  with  his 
powerful  bill  tears  out  the  entrails. 

Singing  birds  are  of  great  numbers  and  varieties 
in  the  Llanos  ;  these  are  mostly  of  the  oriole  species, 
all  of  which  seem  to  delight  in  the  vicinity  of  man. 
They  usually  select  some  tree  near  the  house,  and 
from  its  slender  topmost  branches,  weave  their  hang- 
ing nests  beyond  reach  of  mischievous  boys  and  mon- 
keys. One  of  these  songsters,  the  gonzal^  had  his 
nest  close  by  the  ropes  of  my  hammock,  where  every 
morning  before  sunrise  he  awakened  me  by  his  sweetly 
plaintive  notes ;  and  so  fascinated  was  I  by  this  charm- 
ing neighbor,  that  I  always  remained  long  after  the 
reveille,  listening  to  his  delicious  music. 

There  is  another  closely  allied  species,  far  superior 
to  this  or  any  other  bird  of  the  kind  with  which  I  am 
acquainted.  It  is  the  troupial,  whose  powerful  notes 
can  only  be  likened  to  strains  of  the  violin.  It  is 
easily  domesticated  in  houses,  and  learns  readily  any 


174  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH    AMERICA. 

air  from  hearing  it  whistled.  I  have  one  of  these 
birds  at  home  (in  N^ew  York)  which  sings  the  Ca- 
chuca,  Yankee  Doodle,  and  various  other  tunes,  be- 
sides distinctly  whistling  the  name  of  a  person.  Its 
predominant  colors  are  rich  orange  and  shining  black, 
with  white  spots  on  the  wings  and  bill  in  beautiful 
contrast.  It  is  a  dangerous  pet,  however,  if  at  large 
in  a  house,  attacking  strangers  furiously,  and  always 
aiming  at  the  eyes. 

The  arrendajo^  or  mocking-oriole,  is  perhaps  the 
most  extraordinary  of  its  kind,  on  account  of  its  imi- 
tative proclivities,  mimicking  every  sound  with  such 
exactness,  that  he  goes  by  the  name  of  mocking-bird 
among  the  colonists  of  Demerara  ;  according  to 
Waterton,  "  His  own  song  is  sweet,  but  very  short. 
If  a  toucan  be  yelping  in  the  neighborhood,  he  drops 
it,  and  imitates  him.  Then  he  will  amuse  his  pro- 
tector with  the  cries  of  the  different  species  of  wood- 
pecker, and  when  the  sheep  bleat  he  will  distinctly 
answer  them.  Then  comes  his  own  song  again  ;  and 
if  a  puppy  dog  or  a  guinea  fowl  interrupt  him,  he 
takes  them  off  admirably,  and  by  his  different  ges- 
tures during  the  time,  you  would  conclude  that  he 
enjoys  the  sport." 

Tlie  arrendajo  is,  besides,  a  beautiful  bird,  and 
considered  by  ornithologists  a  model  of  symmetry ; 
his  predominant  color  is  a  glossy  black,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  his  belly,  rump  and  half  the  tail,  which 
are  of  a  bright  yellow.  On  each  wing  also  he  has  a 
spot  of  the  same  color.  His  beak  is  tinged  of  a  deli- 
cate shade  of  lemon,  while  his  eyes  are  sky  blue,  the 
pupil  being  a  deeper  shade  of  the  same. 


/,0 


^-  ( 


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^> 


CHAPTER  XIIL 

THE    EODEO. 

We  had  long  been  impatiently  awaiting  tbe  com- 
mand for  a  general  turnout  and  chase  among  the 
legions  of  wild  cattle  grazing  in  the  far  horizon  ;  and 
when  at  length  the  day  was  appointed  for  a  rodeo  or 
grand  hunt,  the  universal  gratification  was  boundless. 

It  is  customary  in  all  large  cattle  farms  to  assem- 
ble from  time  to  time  the  cattle  of  certain  districts  for 
the  purpose  of  selecting  those  which  require  branding 
and  marking,  and  also  to  allow  the  neighboring  farm- 
ers to  separate  from  the  herds  many  stray  animals 
belonging  to  them,  which,  from  the  open  nature  of 
the  plains,  it  is  impossible  to  keep  within  the  boun- 
daries of  their  own  savannas.  This  operation  cannot 
■  be  accomplished  without  a  great  number  of  able  and 
expert  riders,  who,  on  a  given  day,  surround  a  large 
area  of  country  and  drive  toward  one  centre  all  the 
cattle  that  may  be  found  within  the  selected  space. 
An  extended  circle  or  ring  is  thus  formed,  enclosing 
a  great  horde  of  wild  animals ;  these  are  kept  in  check 


176  WILD    SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

by  the  well-concerted  evolutions  of  the  vaqueros  until 
the  appointed  rendezvous  is  reached,  where,  after 
allow^ing  the  cattle  to  cool  down,  the  different  brands 
are  selected  ;  hence  the  name  of  rodeo ^  from  rodear^ 
to  surround. 

The  object  on  this  occasion  was  not  only  to  sepa- 
rate all  the  calves  that  required  branding,  but  also  to 
collect  a  large  drove  of  oxen,  so  as  to  furnish  our  ex- 
tensive potreros  of  San  Pablo  de  Paya  with  market- 
able beeves. 

Our  first  foray  against  the  horned  tenants  of  the 
wilderness  would  thus  assume  an  importance  seldom 
witnessed  in  that  retired  corner  of  the  republic ;  as 
also  in  addition  to  our  own  force,  we  counted  upon 
the  assistance  of  the  vaqueros  from  the  neighboring 
cattle  farms  of  Caucagua,  La  Yagua,  and  others  bor- 
dering these  savannas.  Due  notice  was  accordingly 
sent  to  the  respective  owners  of  those  estates  to  mus- 
ter on  a  certain  day  all  their  forces  upon  the  field. 

The  area  selected  for  the  hunt  embraced  at  least 
fifteen  miles  d  la  ronde.  The  hunters,  in  squads  of 
six  or  eight,  proceeded  on  the  afternoon  of  the  day 
before  the  hunt  to  their  stations  at  various  points  of 
the  savanna,  having  instructions  to  start  at  early 
dawn  for  the  appointed  centre.  We  of  the  stafi"  made 
a  simultaneous  move  from  the  house,  driving  before 
us,  without  distinction,  all  the  animals  we  encoim- 
tered  on  the  route.  Tlie  cattle  being  so  unexpectedly 
roused  from  their  slumbers,  naturally  endeavored  to 
fly  from  their  pursuers.  Soon,  however,  meeting 
those  from  opposite  directions,  they  whirled  in  mad 
despair,  vainly  endeavoring  to  break  through  the  ex- 


THE  RODEO.  177 

tended  line  of  horsemen,  who  were  constantly  gallop- 
ing about  the  struggling  mass  with  shouts  and  thrusts 
from  their  steel-pointed  garrochas. 

At  the  commencement  it  was  a  truly  interesting 
sight  to  watch  the  many  groups  of  cattle,  deer,  wild 
boars,  dogs,  foxes,  and  other  wild  quadrupeds  coming 
in  from  all  directions  as  if  impelled  by  one  common 
instinct ;  but  no  sooner  did  that  living  ring  commence 
closing  upon  them,  than,  scared  by  the  confusion  and 
uproar  of  the  scene,  their  terror  quickly  grew  to 
frenzy,  and  they  ran  from  side  to  side  bellowing, 
grunting,  howling  as  they  went.  Solely  intent  upon 
the  danger  that  menaced  them,  the  mother  forgot  her 
offspring,  and  listened  no  more  to  their  painful  lamen- 
tations ;  the  lover  abandoned  his  beloved,  seeking 
only  his  own  safety  in  disgraceful  flight ;  and  even  the 
fierce  bull,  forgetting  for  a  moment  that  he  is  sover- 
eign of  those  realms,  lost  his  natural  spirit  of  brave 
defiance,  and  rushed  blindly  off  in  the  train  of  the 
frightened  multitude.  As  if  to  increase  the  grandeur 
of  the  spectacle,  a  garzero^  which  had  established 
itself  on  the  borders  of  a  creek  hard  by,  also  caught 
the  alarm,  and  at  our  approach  flew  up  in  the  air 
with  a  tremendous  crashing  of  wing  and  bill,  leaving 
their  young  to  care  for  themselves,  and  with  their 
discordant  and  piercing  cries  to  swell  the  uproar  of 
the  scene.  It  is  impossible  to  convey  an  adequate 
idea  of  this  vast  multitude  of  frightened  cranes  and 
herons  of  all  sorts  which  fluttered  overhead  at  that 
moment ;  so  great  was  their  number  that  they  spread 
over  an  extent  of  several  miles,  and  actually  for  a 
time  cast  a  deep  shadow  over  the  landscape. 
8* 


178  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

Not  less  than  eight  or  ten  thousand  head  of  cattle 
were  brought  within  the  ring  formed  of  more  than  a 
hundred  horsemen,  who,  in  preventing  the  escape  of 
the  animals,  were  compelled  to  expose  themselves  and 
their  noble  steeds  to  the  vindictiveness  of  the  bulls, 
which  were  constantly  rushing  upon  the  lines  in  their 
endeavors  to  regain  the  open  prairie.  Whenever  this 
was  attempted,  a  horseman  galloped  boldly  upon  the 
fugitive,  and  by  interposing  himself  between  the  open 
field  and  the  bull,  forced  the  latter  back  to  the  herd. 
Wonderfully  adroit  were  the  herdsmen  in  their  avoid- 
ance of  the  repeated  strokes  aimed  at  them  by  the 
bulls,  even  when  it  appeared  impossible  to  escape 
being  caught  between  the  animal's  horns.  The  gar- 
rocha  played  an  important  part  in  repelling  these  at- 
tacks. This  instrument,  only  second  in  importance 
to  the  lazo  when  in  the  hands  of  expert  riders,  is 
made  of  the  slender,  yet  tough  stem,  of  the  alvarico 
palm,  (senocarpus  cubarro,)  by  merely  sharpening  the 
top  end  to  a  point,  or  surmounting  it  with  an  iron 
head,  around  which  a  number  of  loose  rings  of  the 
same  metal  are  affixed  ;  these,  when  shaken  close 
to  the  animal's  ear,  frighten  him  olf  witli  the  rattling 
sound  they  produce.  The  shaft  of  the  goad  is  fully 
ten  feet  long,  and  although  not  thicker  than  a  walk- 
ing-stick, can  bear  an  immense  amount  of  pressure 
without  breaking.  As  a  weapon  of  aggression,  this 
slender  palm  stem  has  become  justly  celebrated 
throughout  the  country,  from  the  fact  of  having  sup- 
plied the  primitive  bands  of  patriots  who  first  dared 
to  oppose  the  tyrannical  rule  of  Spain  with  ready- 
made  lances  in  the  wilderness.    Tlie  manner  in  which 


THE  RODEO.  179 

Llaneros  make  use  of  the  garrocha  is  quite  extra- 
ordinary. When  in  pursuit  of  a  bull  which  they  pur- 
pose turning  back  to  the  rodeo^  if  the  animal  be 
swifter  than  the  horse,  the  rider  always  manages  to 
reach  him  with  the  point  of  his  spear.  This  he 
thrusts  into  the  bull's  hide,  just  above  the  shoulder- 
blade,  and  then  leans  forward  and  rests  the  whole 
weight  of  his  body  upon  the  shaft,  assisted  in  it  by 
his  intelligent  charger.  The  equilibrium  of  the  bull 
is  thus  usually  destroyed,  and  he  rolls  headlong  upon 
the  ground.  Tliese  falls  are  often  sufficient  to  pre- 
vent further  attempts  at  escape,  in  which  case  the 
bull  is  easily  led  into  the  rodeo.  This  performance, 
however,  is  one  of  the  most  dangerous  practised 
among  Llaneros,  and  is  undertaken  only  by  the  most 
skilful  and  experienced  riders,  as,  should  the  spear 
glance  off  while  the  hunter  is  leaning  upon  it,  or 
should  he  happen  to  overturn  the  bull  in  front  of  his 
horse,  he  will  in  either  case  receive  a  terrific  fall,  and 
in  the  latter  event,  probably  come  into  collision  with 
the  fallen  animal. 

From  the  midst,  and  above  all  the  heads  of  that 
tumultuous  assemblage  of  wild  animals,  rose  the 
shaggy  frontlet  of  a  black  bull,  whose  martial  air  and 
fearless  step  seemed  to  proclaim  him  the  patriarch  of 
the  herd.  An  experienced  Llanero,  intently  watching 
all  his  movements  from  afar,  observed  to  those  near 
him,  that  they  would  soon  have  fresh  sport ;  and  that 
"  if  any  one  prized  the  skin  of  his  horse,  he  would  do 
well  to  look  to  his  spurs ; "  meaning  that  the  black 
bull  evidentlv  intended  mischief.  Mr.  Thomas,  who 
was  busily  sketching  the  novel  scene  before  him,  un- 


180  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

accustomed  to  the  jargon  of  the  Llanos,  did  not  un- 
derstand this  remark,  and  therefore  quietly  continued 
his  occupation.  The  next  moment  the  bull  was  in 
our  midst,  charging  first  upon  Captain  Yalor,  one  of 
the  best  riders  on  the  field,  who,  in  spite  of  his  name, 
hastily  spurred  his  steed  out  of  reacli ;  but  the  bull 
still  pursuing,  charged  again  and  again  upon  him, 
and  doubtless  the  last  attempt  would  have  been  fatal 
to  either  horse  or  cavalier,  had  not  the  bull  been 
checked  in  his  final  onset  by  accidentally  plunging 
one  of  his  legs  into  the  hole  of  an  armadillo,  which 
fortunate  circumstance  gave  the  captain  time  to  dis- 
tance his  pursuer.  The  bull  next  sought  to  vent  his 
rage  on  the  incautious  artist,  who,  one  leg  crossed 
over  the  neck  of  his  horse  as  support  for  his  sketch- 
book, sat  evidently  absorbed  in  contemplation  of  the 
powerful  and  daring  brute,  with  whose  ferocious 
nature  he  was  totally  unacquainted.  Having  never 
before  attended  sports  of  the  kind,  my  friend  paid 
little  regard  to  the  menacing  attitude  of  the  animal, 
who  rushed  upon  him  with  a  fearful  bellow  that  made 
us  tremble  for  his  fate.  But  for  some  unaccountable 
reason,  the  bull  after  one  or  two  ineftectual  attempts 
to  strike  his  intended  victim,  wheeled  about  and  dis- 
appeared among  the  tangled  jungle  bordering  the 
creek,  apparently  indignant  at  the  nonchalance  with; 
which  John  Bull  received  the  advances  of  his  name- 
sake. Fearing  the  recurrence  of  similar  attacks, 
which  might  have  a  less  fortunate  termination,  it  was 
decided  to  disembarrass  ourselves  of  so  uncomfort- 
able a  neighbor ;  with  this  object,  the  requisite  number 
of  horsemen  provided  with  lazos  were  sent  to  capture 


THE  RODEO.  18| 

and  subdue  him.  Instead  of  seeking  safety  in  precip- 
itate fliglit,  as  is  generally  the  case  with  wild  bulls, 
this  one  unflinchingly  stood  his  ground,  and  neither 
shouts  nor  menaces  could  induce  him  to  abandon  the 
threatening  attitude  he  had  assumed.  It  was  indeed 
a  splendid  sight  to  behold  that  proud  monarch  of  the 
horned  tribe  bidding  defiance  to  all  about  him,  his 
huge  and  shaggy  head,  surmounted  by  a  pair  of 
pointed,  powerful  horns,  high  in  air,  and  with  an  ex- 
pression of  countenance  that  was  almost  diabolical. 
His  savage  upper  lip  looked  as  if  curled  in  contempt 
of  his  antagonists,  and  his  eyes  gleamed  with  fury  in 
the  light  of  the  morning  sun.  Occasionally  with  his 
fore  feet  he  ploughed  up  the  earth,  which,  falling  in 
showers  upon  him,  he  swept  from  his  sides  with  his 
tail,  uttering  all  the  while  a  sort  of  suppressed  roar 
resembling  distant  thunder.  Then  came  the  furious 
charge,  when  every  one  was  compelled  to  run  for  his 
life,  as  nothing  could  arrest  his  headlong  course. 
Blinded  with  rage,  he  spared  not  even  those  of  his 
own  species,  killing  two  heifers  instantly,  and  wound- 
ing a  bull  so  severely  that  he  died  shortly  after- 
ward. Each  time  the  men  whirled  the  lazo  to 
throw  it  over  his  head,  he  dashed  forward  with  such 
rapidity  as  to  disconcert  their  aim,  until,  finally,  a 
bold  and  agile  sambo,  Sarmiento  by  name,  who  acted 
as  caporal,  and  of  whom  we  shall  say  more  hereafter, 
dismounting  from  his  horse  and  seizing  the  red  blan- 
ket from  his  saddle,  prepared  to  face  the  bull  without 
tlie  encumbrance  of  the  lazo.  His  intention  was  to 
bewilder  or  torear  him  by  a  succession  of  such  feats 
of  agility  as  are  usually  practised  by  matadors  in  bull 


182  ^^^^  SCENES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

fights  ;  and  so  successful  was  he,  that  in  one  of  the 
animal's  furious  charges,  he  succeeded  in  grasping 
and  holding  his  tail ;  and  in  spite  of  the  efibrts  the 
bull  made  to  strike  him  with  his  horns,  Sarmiento 
followed  his  movements  so  closely,  that  by  a  dexter- 
ous twist  of  the  tail  he  succeeded  in  overthrowing  the 
brute  upon  his  side ;  he  then  drew  the  tail  between 
the  hind  legs,  and  as  this  completely  deprives  the 
animal  of  all  power  of  rising,  he  was  enabled  to  hold 
him  until  others  came  to  his  assistance.  Then,  to 
prevent  further  mischief,  the  men  proceeded  to  saw 
off  the  tops  of  his  horns  and  to  perform  upon  him 
other  usual  operations.  These  precautions,  however, 
proved  quite  unnecessary,  as  the  bull,  exhausted  by 
rage  and  loss  of  blood,  shortly  afterward  dropped 
upon  the  ground  and  expired. 

In  spite  of  the  vigilance  and  constant  efforts  of  the 
men  to  keep  the  animals  within  the  rodeo,  several 
other  bulls  managed  to  break  through  the  ranks.  The 
only  method  of  bringing  them  back  was  by  using 
the  all-potent  lazo,  and  two  men,  one  of  them  thus 
equipped,  were  despatched  after  the  fugitive,  which 
on  being  noosed,  vas  by  the  second  man  speedily 
thrown  upon  his  side  by  means  of  that  dangerous  ap- 
pendage, the  tail,  in  the  management  of  which  the 
Llaneros  of  Yenezuela  are  bo  famous.  Tliis  accom- 
plished, they  pierced  the  thick  cartilage  which  divides 
the  nostrils  with  the  point  of  a  dagger ;  one  end  of 
the  thong  was  then  passed  through  the  wound,  while 
the  other  remained  fastened  to  the  horse's  tail ;  the 
Llanero,  then  mounting  his  steed,  jerked  the  end  at- 
tached to  the  bull,  which  brought  the  prostrate  beast 


THE  RODEO.  ^S3 

at  once  to  his  feet,  when  he  was  marched  off  to  his 
destination  without  further  trouble,  literally  led  by 
the  nose. 

Another  method  of  arresting  a  bull  in  his  flight, 
is  by  a  bold  manoeuvre  termed  coleai\  and  which  con- 
sists, as  already  stated,  in  availing  themselves  of  the 
animal's  tail  to  overthrow  him  when  at  full  speed  ; 
but  that  is  not  easy  of  accomplishment,  as  the  bull 
has  then  such  entire  freedom  of  movement.  Tlie 
horse  also  must  be  perfectly  well  trained  to  these 
hazardous  undertakings,  and  should  obey  instantly 
the  slightest  pull  of  the  bit ;  for  if  the  bull  turns  sud- 
denly upon  his  pursuer,  the  chances  are  ten  to  one 
that  the  horse  will  be  severely  wounded.  The  rider 
first  gallops  close  to  the  rear  of  the  bull,  and  seizing 
his  tail  with  one  hand,  gives  it  a  turn  or  two  around 
his  wrist  to  prevent  its  slipping.  "When  thus  pre- 
pared, he  urges  his  horse  forward,  until  the  heads  of 
the  two  animals  are  on  a  "  dead-heat ;  "  then  quickly 
turning  in  an  oblique  direction,  and  exerting  all  his 
strength,  he  pulls  the  bull  toward  him,  and  does  not 
relinquish  his  hold  until  he  perceives  that  the  enemy 
is  tottering,  when  he  is  easily  overthrown  from  the 
great  impetus  imparted  by  their  rapid  pace.  Some 
men  are  so  dexterous  that  they  can  colear  with  both 
hands  at  the  same  time ;  which  necessarily  gives  greater 
power  over  the  bull,  enabling  the  rider  to  bring  him 
down  much  more  readily.  The  horse,  in  this  case, 
left  to  his  own  well-taught  guidance,  assists  the  man- 
oeuvres of  his  rider,  pushing  forward  at  the  instant  he 
perceives  that  his  master  is  prepared  for  the  pull,  and 
turning  about  also  at  the  right  moment.     How  won- 


184 


WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 


derful  the  instinct  of  these  noble  creatures !  that 
teaches  them  so  readily  the  importance  of  the  slight- 
est movement,  on.  which  often  depends,  not  only  the 
success  of  the  enterprise,  but  their  own  safety,  as 
well  as  that  of  their  masters.  If  too  powerful  resist- 
ance is  offered  at  the  outset  by  the  bull,  as  is  some- 
times the  case,  the  rider  still  clings  to  the  tail  of  his 
adversary,  and  throwing  himself  off  his  horse  while 
at  full  speed,  the  impetus  combined  with  his  weight 
and  strength  never  fail  in  bringing  the  bull  like  a 
fallen  giant  to  the  ground ;  then  the  man  quickly 
drawing  the  tail  between  the  hind  legs,  awaits  the 
arrival  of  his  companions  to  assist  in  securing  the 
prize. 

It  was  often  matter  of  surprise  to  me  in  what 
manner  the  Llaneros,  notwithstanding  the  thorough 
training  of  the  horses,  contrived  their  speedy  ap- 
proach to  the  rear  of  the  bulls,  as  these  were  usually 
considerably  ahead  at  the  start.  On  one  occasion,  I 
was  regretting  that  my  pony  was  too  small  to  keep 
pace  with  the  hunters,  when  one  of  the  men,  who  was 
mounted  on  a  prototype  of  Kosinante — on  which, 
nevertheless,  he  had  performed  prodigies  of  strength 
— turned  to  me  and  said,  "  Yaya^  nino^  let  me  show 
you  that  this  is  not  the  fault  of  the  horse,  but  that  of 
the  rider  ;"  whereupon  we  exchanged  horses,  and  off 
he  went  after  a  powerful  bull  just  escaped.  Not 
many  minutes  expired  before  I  lost  sight  of  horse  and 
rider  in  a  cloud  of  dust  raised  by  the  beast  in  its  fall. 

Some  hours  expired  before  the  tremendous  excite- 
ment and  confusion  of  the  wild  melee  described  above 
had  sufficiently  subsided  to  render  the  forms  of  men 


THE  RODEO.  185 

and  cattle  visible  throiigli  the  clouds  of  dust  and  aslies 
raised  by  the  trampling  of  so  many  animals.  The 
grass,  at  this  period  parched  by  the  sun  and  reduced 
to  ashes  in  various  places  by  the  usual  conflagrations, 
mingled  with  the  dust  and  rose  in  dense  columns, 
which  from  afar  might  have  been  mistaken  for  the 
dreaded  monsoon. 

In  the  mean  while  the  distracted  mothers  ran  from 
side  to  side,  lowing  piteously  for  their  missing 
young.  Here  and  there  fierce  duellos  among  rival 
bulls  took  place  for  the  possession  of  some  shaggy  one 
of  the  softer  sex.  Butting  their  huge  fronts  together, 
and  goring  each  other  with  their  sharp-pointed  horns, 
they  fought  with  the  courage  and  skill  of  accomplished 
gladiators,  tearing  up  the  earth  in  wn'ld  fury,  and  fill- 
ing the  air  with  their  deep,  savage  bellowings.  A 
crowd  of  admirers  from  amidst  the  herd  formed  a 
circle  around  the  combatants,  and  if  any  from  among 
their  number  evinced  the  least  disposition  to  interfere, 
he  was  immediately  chased  away  by  the  others,  so 
that  there  might  be  fair  play  while  the  fight  lasted. 
Often  these  encounters  proved  fatal  to  one  of  the  bel- 
ligerents, as  neither  will  yield  the  palm  without  a 
desperate  resistance. 

The  bellowing  of  thousands  of  animals,  with  the 
yells  and  deafening  shouts  of  the  men  galloping 
about  the  plain,' waving  their  ponchos  and  rattling 
their  garrochas,  combined  to  give  the  scene  more  the 
appearance  of  a  fiendish  melodrama,  than  a  purely 
pastoral  assemblage  of  men  and  cattle. 

The  confusion  having  at  length  subsided,  four 
of  the  ablest  horsemen,  penetrating  the  living  mass, 


186  ^^^^   SCENES    IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

which,  as  they  advanced,  surged  on  either  side  like 
the  waves  of  the  sea,  commenced  the  diflScult  task  of 
separating  the  animals  intended  for  the  brand,  and 
those  belonging  to  our  neighbors.  This  occasioned 
another  series  of  evolutions,  which  only  men  trained 
to  such  exercises  could  have  accomplished  success- 
fully.  _ 

It  is  usual  in  all  cattle-farms  to  cut  a  notch  or  two 
in  the  animal's  ear  at  the  time  thej  are  branded,  for 
the  purpose  of  recognizing  them  more  readily  from  a 
distance,  a  precaution  which  is  particularly  serviceable 
on  occasions  like  that  just  described,  it  being  impossi- 
ble to  read  the  brand  when  the  creatures  are  crowded 
into  a  herd.  Although  most  of  the  calves  had  not 
the  notch,  they  belong  by  right  to  the  owner  of  the 
mother,  even  if  they  are  found  on  the  lands  of  another 
party.  Of  it  the  vaqueros  availed  themselves  in 
their  subsequent  apportioning  of  the  different  lots  of 
cattle.  This  they  accomplished  in  the  most  expedi- 
tious manner  by  riding  boldly  at  the  animals  in  ques- 
tion, hastening  or  checking  their  progress  through  the 
herd  as  the  case  required.  Thus  by  repeated  evolu- 
tions of  the  sort,  they  finally  brought  the  animals  to 
the  edge  of  the  ring,  where  an  opening  was  purposely 
left  for  their  escape,  and  then  the  nearest  horseman 
drove  them  in  among  a  small  body  of  tame  cattle  sta- 
tioned a  short  distance  from  the  rodeo.  These  violent 
manoeuvrings  could  not  be  accomplished,  however, 
without  endangering  at  every  step  the  security  of  the 
entire  herd.  Each  time  the  drivers  turned  out  an 
animal  the  whole  mass  was  thrown  into  the  utmost 
confusion,  and  it  required  the  most  consummate  skill 


THE  RODEO. 


187 


on  the  part  of  the  men  to  prevent  the  entire  disper- 
sion of  the  cattle.  The  fearlessness  with  which  the 
drivers  plunged  into  that  labyrinth  of  savage,  panting 
brutes,  advancing  close  upon  the  wall  of  bristling 
horns  which  barred  their  progress,  and  boldly  driving 
the  infuriated  creatures  before  them  like  a  pack  of 
sheep,  was  truly  worthy  of  admiration.  The  readiness 
with  which  they  detected  at  a  distance  the  mark  on  the 
animal's  ears,  was  also  no  less  noticeable,  singling  out 
such  at  a  glance,  and  immediately  driving  them  away 
to  their  respective  gi'oups.  When  all  the  brands  had 
thus  been  apportioned,  each  owner  proceeded  to  drive 
away  his  own  herd.  We  found  in  these  cases — as  in- 
deed in  all  similar  ones — the  assistance  of  madrineros 
or  trained  oxen,  of  great  service  in  driving  a  large 
body  of  cattle  across  the  plains.  A  dozen  of  thes^ 
oxen  were  sufficient  to  lead  a  vast  drove,  stopping  or 
advancing  at  a  signal  from  the  overseer,  while  the 
vaqueros  kept  close  watch  on  rear  and  flank  to  pre- 
vent escape  and  to  urge  on  the  cattle,  especially  the 
crowd  of  stray  calves — some  of  them  only  a  few  hours 
old — which,  like  a  procession  of  lost  children,  kept  up 
a  continual  bewailing  for  their  mothers  as  if  the  last 
ray  of  hope  had  departed  from  them.  Although 
their  case  was  indeed  a  hard  one,  and  the  task  of  driv- 
ing them  over  the  rough  ground  still  harder,  we  were 
unwilling  to  leave  them  behind,  hoping  to  find  their 
mammas  among  the  multitude  before  us.  When  within 
a  short  distance  from  the  house,  we  halted  to  make 
preparations  for  the  enclosure  of  the  herds.  But  one 
of  the  most  dangerous  parts  of  the  proceedings  yet  re- 
mained, that  of  forcing  the  cattle  into  the  corrals. 


188  WILD   SCENES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

The  entrance  to  the  rnajada — shaped  like  a  great 
funnel — was,  like  the  rest  of  the  fences,  made  of  very 
strong  posts,  driven  into  the  ground  and  barred  across 
at  intervals  with  thick  rafters  of  bamboo.  Through 
this  funnel,  or  manga^  the  cattle  in  small  lots  were 
driven  at  full  speed  headed  by  the  madrineros — those 
treacherous  guides  trained  to  ensnare  their  kindred — 
while  the  horsemen  barricaded  the  mouth  of  the  fun- 
nel with  the  breasts  of  the  poor  horses.  .Every  thing 
proceeded  satisfactorily  as  far  as  the  end  of  the  funnel, 
the  madrineroSy  with  all  the  cunning  of  semi-civilized 
brutes,  redoubling  their  pace  at  the  moment  of  enter- 
ing the  great  enclosure.  Then  their  wild  brethren, 
perceiving  the  treachery,  turned  upon  their  captors, 
and  a  most  fearful  struggle  ensued.  The  bulls,  in 
spite  of  the  deafening  shouts  of  the  men,  and  the  for- 
midable array  of  garrochas  levelled  at  their  heads,  en- 
deavored to  force  their  way  back  to  the  open  plain, 
and  many  of  them  actually  succeeded  in  breaking 
through  the  barricade  of  horses.  Thus  many  noble 
steeds,  which  until  then  had  escaped  unhurt,  met  with 
an  inglorious  death.  That  most  of  the  men  escaped 
unhurt,  appeared  little  less  than  miraculous,  as  not 
only  were  they  also  exposed  at  every  moment  to  the 
vindictive  attacks  of  the  bulls,  but  it  often  happened 
that  some  of  them  were  unhorsed,  when  they  were  in 
imminent  danger  of  being  trampled  by  tlie  retreating 
foe.  The  superior  skill  and  intrepidity  of  man,  how- 
ever, triumphed  at  length  over  mere  brute  resistance, 
and  the  whole  herd  was  in  a  short  time  securely  quar- 
tered in  the  majada. 


:s^^,i,MiSim<ASm^^mi^ 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

BRANDING      SCENES. 

•t 

"  Entre  tanto  en  ancha  hoguera 
Como  encendido  tizon, 
Ya  la  marca  centellea 
Con  cliispaB  de  azul  punzo.'^ 

Vbntcka  db  la  Vega. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  when  we  partook  of  our 
only  meal  that  day,  and  we  afterward  retired  to  rest, 
but  not  to  sleep,  owing  to  the  incessant  noise  made 
by  the  cattle  in  the  corrals,  who,  during  the  whole 
night,  were  rushing  to  and  fro  as  if  goaded  by  demons. 
Sometimes  we  feared  that  the  fences  would  give  way 
before  their  mad  onset,  while  the  dust  rose  in  sufib- 
cating  clouds,  filling  the  atmospliere  and  mingling 
with  our  food,  which  was  thus  rendered  almost  unfit 
for  use.  The  bellowing,  roaring,  and  moaning  of  the 
herd  could  only  be  likened  to  the  wild  confusion  of  a 
battle-field.  Many  of  the  savage  bulls  in  their  fury 
turned  their  horns,  sharp  as  bayonets,  against  their 
own  kindred.  Tlie  proud  padrote,  his  dusky  mate, 
and  the  tender  heifer  shared  alike  in  the  slaughter. 
The  next  day  numbers  lay  gored  to  death  in  the  dust 


190  WILD    SCENES   IN    SOUTH   AMERICA. 

of  the  corrals,  while  others  presented  ghastly  wounds. 
Soon  the  carcasses  began  to  putrefy,  which,  added  to 
the  particles  of  dust  floating  through  the  air  we 
breathed,  rendered  the  atmosphere  intolerable.  MaAy 
more  of  the  cattle  died  of  suffocation,  and  others  from 
an  infectious  disease  induced  by  the  crowded  state  of 
the  herd  and  the  noxious  exhalations  from  the  car- 
casses. We  therefore  lost  no  time  in  branding  them 
that  they  might  be  set  free,  lest  the  infection  should 
extend  to  the  whole  herd. 

Animals  affected  in  this  manner  exhibit  no  symp- 
toms of  the  disease  until  immediately  prior  to  their 
demise,  when  they  are  observed  to  stagger  a  few 
paces  and  drop  suddenly,,  as  if  shot  by  a  rifle  ball ; 
and  yet  the  vultures  seem  to  possess  an  intuitive 
knowledge  of  this  approaching  dissolution,  in  proof 
whereof,  numbers  of  these  feathery  satellites  of  death 
can  be  seen  hovering  around  an  animal  which  the 
scourge  has  doomed,  although  it  is  apparently  still  in 
perfect  health.  The  infection,  fortunately,  is  confined 
to  the  horned  cattle,  no  instance  of  its  transmission  to 
other  creatures  occurring,  except  in  the  case  of  men 
venturing  to  skin  the  carcasses,  when  it  assumes  a  dif- 
ferent form.  Persons  who  have  thus  exposed  them- 
selves are  seized  with  a  horrible  swelling  of  the  neck, 
commencing  with  a  pimple  not  larger  than  a  pin's 
head,  and  gradually  increasing  in  size  imtil  it  extends 
to  the  cerebellum.  Death  is  the  inevitable  result  if  the 
patient  is  not  promptly  attended  by  a  skilful  physi- 
cian. There  were  two  or  three  cases  of  the  kind 
among  our  own  people,  but  by  careful  ti-eatmcnt  we 
were  fortunate  enough  to  save  them.    There  are,  how- 


BRANDING  SCENES.  191 

ever,  every  year  many  poor  fellows  in  that  improvi- 
dent region,  who,  not  having  the  same  advantages,  are 
often  carried  away  by  the  distemper. 

The  branding  of  cattle,  as  conducted  in  extensive 
establishments,  is  a  real  festival  for  the  sport-loving 
people  of  the  Llanos ;  and  each  one  feels  himself  as 
deeply  interested  therein  as  though  assisting  at  a 
grand  bull  fight — the  time-honored  amusement  of  the 
descendants  of  Pelayo,  the  Cid,  and  other  worthies  of 
like  celebrity ;  and  indeed  the  former,  or  Kierra^  as 
that  wild  j)ageant  is  termed,  with  all  its  incidents  and 
dangers,  all  its  noise  and  bustle,  is  perhaps  the  grand- 
est spectacle  of  the  kind  that  could  be  devised  for  the 
entertainment  and  training  of  that  chivalric  race. 
It  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  wildest  scenes  ever  be- 
held in  the  pampas,  and  one  which  aftbrded  me  ex- 
ceeding pleasure  from  the  variety  of  incident  accom- 
panying it.  The  majada  is,  in  fact,  the  school  in 
which  from  infancy  the  Llanero  is  trained  to  conquer 
or  to  die  in  daily  struggles  with  the  brute  creation. 
It  is  a  veritable  Olympic  Circus,  where  the  agility 
and  strength  for  which  he  is  famed  are  displayed 
during  the  exciting  operations  performed  upon  the 
savage  denizens  of  the  savannas,  branding  and  mark- 
ing the  calves,  sawing  off  the  horns  of  furious  bulls 
and  converting  them  into  oxen  for  the  improvement 
of  their  flesh  and  disposition. 

On  the  day  appointed,  all  animals  confined  in  the 
majada  are  driven  into  the  corralejas  or  smaller  cor- 
rals adjoining  the  great  enclosure,  and  there  packed 
as  closely  as  possible  to  prevent  the  bulls,  always 
ready  to  strike,  from  doing  much  mischief  among 


192  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

their  own  kindred.  Meantime  the  men  prepare 
their  lazos  and  station  themselves  according  to  their 
respective  strength  and  ability,  while  the  boys  kindle 
a  blazing  tire  in  a  safe  corner  of  the  majada,  in  which 
the  various  brands  to  be  used  are  kept  at  a  red  heat. 
These  brands  generally  represent  the  initials  of  the 
owner,  or  some  sort  of  hieroglyphic  stamp  affixed  to 
the  end  of  a  long  handle.  A  record  of  these  is  kept 
by  the  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  each  district ;  and  it  is 
considered  a  great  crime  to  alter  or  in  any  unauthor- 
ized manner  efface  their  impression  from  the  skin  of 
animals.  The  cattle  are  usually  branded  on  the 
haunches ;  but  whenever  a  horse,  mule,  or  mare  iS 
sold,  the  brand  in  a  reversed  position  is  again  affixed, 
this  time  on  its  shoulder,  followed  by  the  buyer's 
brand,  the  same  operation  being  repeated  whenever 
the  animal  changes  hands,  so  that  some  poor  beasts 
come  at  last  to  be  quite  disfigured  with  deep  scars. 

When  all  is  ready  for  the  fray,  the  majordomo, 
climbing  to  the  highest  post  of  the  enclosure,  from 
whence  he  directs  operations,  gives  the  signal.  Here 
he  keeps  an  account  of  the  calves  branded,  by  notch- 
ing a  long  strip  of  raw  hide.  A  number  of  these 
strips,  called  tarja  or  tally,  are  carefully  preserved  in 
every  cattle  farm  as  a  record  to  be  laid  before  the 
owner  at  the  year's  end  in  lieu  of  balance-sheet. 

The  principal  business  of  the  day  being  that  of 
branding  the  calves  collected  at  the  rodeo^  two  or 
three  men  armed  with  lazos,  fearlessly  enter  tlie 
pens  at  peril  of  life  and  limb — for  the  mothers  are 
ever  ready  to  defend  their  young — and  proceed  to 
drag  the  calves  out  singly  by  means  of  the  lazo, 


BRANDING  SCENES.  193 

thougli  not  without  many  obstinate  struggles  on  their 
part,  and  the  more  formidable  resistance  of  their  par- 
ents, which  are  kept  back  at  the  point  of  tlie  gar- 
rocTia  by  men  stationed  on  the  fences.  The  contest, 
however,  is  not  of  very  long  duration  ;  the  calf  nearly 
choked  by  the  lazo,  and  tormented  by  a  cruel  twisting 
of-  his  tail,  springs  forward  toward  the  branding 
place.  The  moment  he  passes  the  threshold,  one  or 
two  little  imps  pounce  upon  the  tail,  jerking  it  until 
they  succeed  in  throwing  him  down  ;  the  lazo  is  then 
quickly  removed,  and  the  captor  hurries  back  to  the 
pen  for  another  calf.  AVhen  a  number  have  been 
thus  secured,  a  man  goes  round  with  the  brand,  and 
in  a  very  short  time  the  whole  lot  are  stamped 
with  the  burning  seal  of  the  estate  amidst  the  pit- 
eous bellowings  and  ineffectual  kicks  of  the  hel]3less 
creatures. 

These  operations,  although  performed  on  young 
animals,  are  not  so  easily  accomplished  as  might  be 
supposed  ;  it  being  not  unusual  for  full-grown  ones  to 
spring  over  the  fences,  or  force  their  way  through  the 
narrow  gate  of  their  pen.  At  such  times,  the  opera- 
tors outside  are  in  imminent  danger  of  being  assailed 
by  the  fugitives,  if  the  latter  are  not  promptly  se- 
cured by  men  stationed  for  the  purpose  at  the  gate  of 
the  coiTolejas.  It  becomes  a  much  more  serious  busi- 
ness when  a  powerful  bull  is  lazoed.  He  not  only  re- 
fuses obstinately  to  be  dragged  out  like  a  calf,  but  re- 
quires the  combined  force  and  skill  of  all  the  men  to 
compel  him  from  the  pen,  although  the  gate  is  pur- 
posely left  wide  open.  In  such  cases  a  picador, 
climbing  to  the  top  of  the  fence,  endeavors  to  drive 

9 


19i  WILD   SCENES    IX   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

out  the  animal  by  repeated  thrusts  of  the  goad  ;  that 
also  failing,  another  lets  himself  down  close  to  the 
bull's  tail,  which  he  twists  violently,  and  this  seldom 
fails  to  drive  the  refractory  creature  madly  out,  fol- 
low^ed  by  the  shouts  and  huzzas  of  his  cruel  torment- 
ors. The  next  proceeding  is  to  throw  him  for  the 
purpose  of  regaining  the  lazo,  and  for  the  performance 
of  the  above-mentioned  operations.  Tliis,  however,  is 
no  easy  matter,  from  the  frantic  plunges  of  the  bull, 
who  has  the  entire  range  of  the  lazo.  The  only  ^mf^ 
tain  method  is  that  of  dragging  him  close  upOdf^a 
post — hotalon — driven  into  the  ground,  where  his  over- 
throw is  finally  accomplished  by  the  united  efforts  of 
several  men,  one  grappling  his  hind  legs,  another 
seizing  the  tail,  while  two  others  keep  a  steady  hold 
of  the  thong,  until  the  animal,  at  last  exhausted,  drops 
heavily  to  the  ground. 

To  justly  appreciate  scenes  like  these,  one  must 
himself  behold  the  dusky  athlete  battling  single- 
handed  with  a  bull  just  escaping  from  the  corral. 
Seizing  him  by  a  horn  with  one  hand,  the  Llanero 
still  holding  it  watches  his  opportimity  until  he  can 
grasp  with  the  other  the  animal's  tail.  The  bull  is 
then  allowed  to  run  as  fast  as  he  will,  as  the  greater 
his  speed  the  more  easily  his  downfall  is  accomplished. 
If  the  bull  moves  too  slowly,  a  few  impressive  jerks 
generally  accelerate  his  speed ;  but  occasionally  he 
returns  the  compliment  by  turning  fiercely  upon  his 
tail-bearer,  who,  if  not  very  nimble,  risks  being  gored 
to  death  ;  yet  his  skilful  antagonist,  not  only  usually 
succeeds  in  evading  his  attack,  but  speedily  contrives 
to  throw  lum.     No  sooner  does  this  occur,  than  the 


BRANDING  SCENES.  195 

vanquished  one  is  snrronnded  by  a  host  of  meiTy  yell- 
ing vagabonds,  one  brandishing  a  hnge  knife,  which 
he  sharpens  on  the  horns  previous  to  performing  the 
operation  which  transforms  the  animal  into  an  ox, 
and  if  not  previously  marked,  cuts  his  ear  according 
to  the  rule  of  the  estate  whose  property  he  is ;  another 
holds  a  red-hot  brand,  which  he  implants  at  once 
upon  the  quivering  hide  ;  while  a  third  with  a  small 
hand-saw  cuts  off  the  sharp  points  of  the  horns.  The 
whole  operation  scarcely  occupies  three  minutes'  time ; 
but  notwithstanding  this,  the  danger  is  very  great  if 
the  bull  succeed  in  regaining  his  feet  before  it  is  fin- 
ished, as,  instead  of  being  subdued,  no  sooner  is  he 
free,  than  he  turns  upon  his  assailants  in  renewed 
fury,  and  then  those  valiant  heroes  may  be  seen  scat- 
tering about  the  arena  like  a  flock  of  partridges. 
"With  nostrils  widely  distended,  and  foaming  at  the 
mouth,  the  bull  for  an  instant  stands  an  embodiment 
of  rage  and  terror,  endeavoring  to  discover  the  objects 
of  his  vengeance.  None,  however,  are  presumptuous 
enough  to  await  his  onset ;  they  would  be  levelled 
with  the  dust  in  an  instant,  and  his  conquerors  there- 
fore adopt  the  wiser  policy  of  a  speedy  retreat  to  the 
highest  fence,  whence  they  pour  a  volley  of  abuse 
upon  his  shaggy  head. 

Occasionally,  while  the  men  were  engaged  with 
one  bull,  several  others  effected  their  escape  in  spite 
of  the  men  whose  business  it  was  to  prevent  it.  The 
situation  of  the  others  then  became  critical  in  the  ex- 
treme, being  exposed  to  the  attacks  of  the  fugitives 
on  the  one  hand,  and  to  those  of  the  prisoner  on  the 
other  ;  this  last  they  were  often  compelled  to  abandon 


196  ^^'ILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

in  the  midst  of  their  labors.  Those  who  held  younger 
animals  formed  with  their  bodies  a  sort  of  barricade 
with  which  to  fend  off  the  aggressor,  wlien  no  other 
expedient  could  be  resorted  to.  At  times  it  appeared 
almost  impossible  to  escape  the  impetuous  charge  of 
the  bulls,  especially  when  the  men  were  some  distance^ 
from  the  fences  ;  the  only  remaining  means  of  safety 
then  consisted  in  throwing  themselves  flat  upon  the 
ground  at  the  moment  the  bull  aimed  a  stroke,  as  in 
that  case  the  animal  invariably  jumped  over  their 
bodies.  It  is  asserted  that  bulls  in  charging  always 
close  their  eyes,  thus  missing  in  blind  precipitancy 
many  excellent  opportunities  for  avenging  the  out- 
rages perpetrated  on  their  race.  Not  so  the  cows, 
who  are  said  to  keep  their  eyes  fully  open  when  they 
are  bent  on  mischief,  seldom  if  ever  turning  from  their 
intended  victim  without  leaving  some  mark,  of  either 
horn  or  hoof,  in  token  of  displeasure. 

On  one  occasion  our  leader  himself  very  narrowly 
escaped  from  one  of  these  infuriate  feminalities  in 
spite  of  hfs  ability  in  dealing  with  wild  cattle,  and  his 
dexterity  in  avoiding  their  attacks.  We  had  just  en- 
tered the  majada^  and  were  making  preparations  for 
the  coming  frolic.  We  stood  under  the  shade  of  a 
splendid  7natapalo  or  wild  fig-tree  growing  within 
the  great  enclosure,  when  a  cow,  which  had  left  her 
young  behind  while  chased  in  the  savanna,  feeling 
rather  uneasy  in  consequence,  cleared  the  fence  of  the 
pen  wherein  she  was  confined,  and  the  next  moment 
was  among  us.  All  retreated  to  the  fences,  excepting 
our  leader,  who,  ever  rather  sensitive  about  turning 
his  back  upon  an  enemy,  stood  his  ground  somewhat 


BRANDING  SCENES.  I97 

protected  by  the  stout  body  of  the  tree.  The  cow  at 
first  appeared  to  pay  but  little  attention  to  him,  mak- 
ing straight  for  the  gate  of  the  majada^  which  she, 
unfortunately,  found  strongly  barred  against  her 
escape.  Then  retracing  her  steps,  she  sought  to 
avenge  her  evident  disappointment  upon  the  gentle- 
man in  white,  whom  she  very  well  recollected  having 
left  at  the  foot  of  the  old  matapalo.  Still  the  un- 
daunted soldier,  although  repeatedly  urged  by  his 
men  to  fly,  scorned  the  idea  of  seeking  the  talan- 
quera^  or,  in  other  words,  climbing  the  fence  in  a 
hurry,  thinking  at  first  to  avoid  the  enemy  by  step- 
ping round  and  round  the  tree  ;  but  the  cow  was  too 
cunning  to  be  cheated  in  this  manner.  After  thus 
chasing  him  in  vain  for  a  few  minutes,  she  suddenly 
changed  her  course,  seeking  him  in  the  opposite  di- 
rection, which  brought  them  face  to  face.  Unfortu- 
nately, the  General,  who  had  that  morning  been  sitting 
for  his  likeness  in  the  full  costume  of  the  Llanos  which 
he  still  wore,  found  himself  rather  embarrassed  in  his 
movements  by  the  wide  folds  of  the  manta.  This 
prevented  him  from  drawing  the  sword  he  had  re- 
tained, which  was  his  first  impulse  ;  and  he  therefore 
retreated  a  few  paces  into  a  more  open  space  where 
he  could  torear  her  until  others  came  to  his  assistance. 
With  the  subtlety  of  her  sex  the  cow  at  once  perceived 
his  intentions,  and  rapidly  following  his  every  move- 
ment, watched  her  opportunity  to  strike  him  on  the 
side ;  but  he,  precisely  at  the  right  instant,  with  great 
])resence  of  mind  threw  himself  flat  upon  the  ground 
just  as  she  aimed  the  blow.  Instead,  however,  of  jump- 
ing over  him,  as  is  usual  with  bulls  in  similar  cases,  the 


198  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

COW  rushed  upon  him,  when  his  adroitness  in  grasping 
one  of  lier  fore  feet  so  firmly  as  to  arrest  further  at- 
tack until  others  came  to  his  relief,  prevented  any  in- 
jury beyond  a  slight  scratch  on  his  bide  and  tearing 
his  manta. 

It  is  needless  to  add  that  after  so  disrespectful  an 
assault  upon  the  revered  person  of  our  leader,  the 
cow  received  no  gentle  treatment  at  the  hands  of  the 
indignant  vaqueros :  some  were  for  despatching  her 
at  once  for  their  evening  meal ;  others,  for  affixing  a 
dry  hide  to  the  end  of  her  tail  and  letting  her  loose 
over  the  plain  ;  while  a  few,  compassionating  her  ig- 
norance, among  them  the  aggrieved  owner,  were 
only  for  depriving  her  of  the  means  of  doing  further 
mischief  with  the  horns.  This  opinion  prevailing  at 
last  over  all  others,  the  ruthless  hand  of  the  execu- 
tioner at  once  applied  the  saw  to  the  pride  of  her 
head,  after  which  she  was  allowed  to  depart  in  peace. 
Thus  ended  a  short,  but  not  altogether  inglorious 
struggle,  which,  but  for  the  cunning  and  address  dis- 
played on  both  sides,  might  have  terminated  fatally 
to  either  of  the  parties  engaged  in  it. 

After  the  corralejas  had  been  emptied  of  their 
contents,  there  still  remained  in  the  majada  several 
bulls  at  large,  which  had  escaped  during  the  confu- 
sion ;  and  many  of  these  not  yet  having  been  oper- 
ated upon,  another  most  exciting  chase  was  afforded 
to  the  indefatigable  and  athletic  hunters.  The  nar- 
rowness of  the  field,  however,  which  precluded  the 
use  of  horses,  and  the  fact  that  each  bull  required  to 
be  captured  with  the  lazo,  occasioned  serious  obsta- 


BRANDING  SCENES.  I99 

cles  and  mucli  risk  to  the  men  engaged  therein.  Lack 
of  volunteers  there  was  none,  and  among  them  a  pow- 
erful red-haired  zambo,  which  freak  of  nature  had  ob- 
tained for  him  the  sobriquet  of  Colorado — the  red  man. 
This  fellow  enjoyed  a  wide  reputation  in  the 
country  for  his  exploits,  both  in  field  and  corral,  and 
on  this  occasion  proved  himself  deserving  of  the  fame 
which  he  had  heretofore  achieved.  It  was  he  who 
now  first  led  the  charge.  Seizing  a  lazo  of  long  di- 
mensions, contrary  to  usual  practice,  he  proceeded  to 
coil  it  on  his  right  hand,  securing  the  end  upon  his 
left.  Then,  cautiously  approaching  a  formidable 
black  bull,  which  stood  alone  in  the  centre  of  the 
majada^  he  sent  the  whole  lazo,  noose  and  all,  uncoil- 
ing like  a  snake  through  the  air  until  it  reached  the 
animal's  head.  Although  the  distance  must  have 
been  thirty  paces,  we  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing 
the  noose  settle  round  his  neck  as  truly  as  if  placed 
there  by  the  practised  hand  of  a  hangman.  From 
this  moment,  Colorado  was  unanimously  proclaimed 
master  of  the  lazo,  an  honor  which  he  enjoyed  to  the 
end  of  the  performances,  as  all  that  remained  in  this 
case  to  be  accomplished  by  the  others  was  merely  to 
pull  the  lazo  in  order  to  bring  the  bull  up  to  the 
botalon  or  upright  post,  which  served  the  double 
purpose  of  subduing  stake  for  the  bulls,  and  training 
post  for  the  boys.  To  it  one  or  more  young  bulls 
were  usually  brought  at  the  end  of  the  day's  work, 
and  the  boys  compelled  to  mount  them  in  the  manner 
described  in  a  previous  chapter  ;  the  animals  are  then 
set  loose  amidst  the  crowd  of  assembled  quadrupeds, 
which  are  evidently  amazed  at  the  singular  spectacle. 


200  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 


^f©^V«SK^^"=  '^'^"'^ 


"We  witnessed  several  exhibitions  of  tlie  kind  in 
the  majada^  whenever  we  were  present  at  the  brand- 
ing of  the  cattle  ;  but  never  do  I  recollect  any  serious 
accident  occurring  to  the  little  riders.  Thus  it  is  that 
the  Llaneros  educate  their  boys  from  infancy  to  the 
severest  exercises  of  their  profession,  so  that  they  in 
turn  may  teach  the  same  to  their  own  children. 

Not  always,  however,  is  the  Llanero's  triumph 
over  the  brute  creation  obtained  so  easily,  for  many 
are  the  instances  in  which  the  latter  gain  the  advan- 
tage in  these  hand-to-horn  combats,  and  in  such  cases 
the  evil  resulting  is  very  great.  Sometimes  the  men 
are  dreadfully  lacerated,  either  by  the  horns  or  the 
sharp  hoofs  of  their  antagonists,  frequently  losing 
their  lives  in  consequence,  from  want  of  proper  medi- 
cal treatment  at  the  time  the  wounds  are  inflicted. 
The  most  common  phase  the  disease  assumes  is  that 
of  tetanus  or  lock-jaw,  which  sometimes  ensues  from 
only  a  slight  scratch  on  the  tendinous  part  of  the  foot. 
From  the  scarcity  of  surgeons  in  the  country,  and  the 
lack  of  skill  in  dressing  these  wounds,  mortification, 
aneurisms,  malignant  abscesses,  and  a  variety  of  other 


BRANDING  SCENES.  201 

complaints  are  amongst  the  evils  resulting  from  tins 
otherwise  entertaining  sport.  In  spite  of  all  our  pre- 
cautions, and  the  assistance  of  the  surgeon,  Dr.  Gal- 
legos,  we  lost  three  of  our  best  men,  and  several 
others  afterward  died  in  consequence  of  injuries  re- 
ceived during  that  expedition. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

PLANTS      AND      SNAKES. 

The  wide  extent  of  the  savannas  composing  tliis 
cattle  farm,  and  the  dispersion  of  the  herds  through- 
out them,  compelled  us  to  remove  our  quarters  to  a 
more  central  point,  from  whence  we  could  sally  forth 
in  their  pursuit.  Orders  were  issued  accordingly  for 
the  men  to  be  in  readiness,  and  the  next  morning  we 
quitted  with  regret  our  comfortable  quarters  at  the 
majordomo's  mansion  and  started  for  Mata-Gorda, 
one  of  those  delightful  primeval  groves  which  dot  the 
prairies  here  and  there. 

Some  idea  of  the  extent  of  this  huge  farm  may  be 
gathered  from  the  fact  that  one  may  start  at  a  gallop 
early  in  the  morning  from  one  end  of  the  savannas 
and  not  reach  the  other  until  late  at  night  of  the  same 
day.  Its  area  would  measure  at  least  eighty  square 
leagues,  or  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  acres 
of  the  richest  land,  but  which  under  the  present  back- 
ward and  revolutionary  state  of  the  country  is  com- 
paratively valueless  to  its  owner.    The  number  of 


PLANTS  AND  SNAKES.  203 

cattle  dispersed  throughout  the  length  and  breadth 
of  this  wide  extent  of  prairie  land  was  computed  to 
be  about  a  hundred  thousand  heads,  and,  at  one 
time,  ten  thousand  horses  ;  but  what  with  the  peste^ 
revolutionary  exactions,  and  skin  hunters,  compara- 
tively very  few  of  the  former  and  none  of  the  latter 
have  been  left. 

Our  first  occupation  on  arriving  at  the  Mata  was 
to  set  up  a  hasty  ranch  for  the  protection  of  our  ac- 
coutrements and  baggage,  a  structure  which  required 
little  labor  or  expense,  the  graceful  palms  aftbrding 
the  best  kind  of  thatch  for  the  roof,  and  the  surround- 
iug  woods  sufficient  posts  and  rafters  for  the  frame- 
work. A  convenient  apartment  was  provided  in  it 
for  the  hammocks  of  our  Leader  and  worthy  Surgeon, 
while  the  rest  of  us  were  compelled  to  seek  accommo- 
dations among  the  trunks  and  branches  of  the  trees. 

These  arrangements  completed,  the  necessary  tim- 
ber was  next  cut  for  the  corrals  to  be  erected  for  en- 
closing the  coming  herds,  a  work  to  which  the  hunters 
devoted  themselves,  while  I  found  greater  attractions 
in  my  daily  explorations  through  the  tangled  forest. 
Tlie  beautiful  palms  there  claimed  my  most  particular 
attention.  Apart  from  the  splendor  of  their  growth 
and  other  peculiarities  to  which  I  have  already  al- 
luded in  a  former  chapter,  they  are  sufficient  in  them- 
selves to  supply  many  of  the  domestic  and  economic 
wants  of  man  in  a  primitive  state. 

I  also  observed  here  many  useful  species  of  the 
extensive  family  of  leguminous  plants,  such  as  the 
canafistula^  (Cathartocarpus,)  of  which  there  were 
several  varieties,  all  of  them  beautiful  timber  trees, 


204:  WILD    SCENES    IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

whose  pods,  two  feet  long,  were  filled  with  a  black 
gummy  substance  possessing  very  medicinal  proper- 
ties. In  a  natural  form  it  affords  one  of  the  mildest 
and  most  agreeable  cathartics.  Belonging  to  the 
same  family,  the  caro^  masaguaro^  and  saman  aca- 
cias can  scarcely  be  rivalled  in  durability  by  any 
other  production  of  the  vegetable  world.  Their  pods 
also  contain  a  large  proportion  of  a  similar  gummy 
substance  which  cattle  devour  greedily,  and  which 
fattens  them  better  than  any  other  kind  of  fodder. 

The  malagueta  pepper,  or  donkey-bean,  {Uvaria 
febrifugal  an  excellent  febrifuge  and  antispasmodic, 
also  grows  here  in  the  greatest  abundance.  Its  aro- 
matic seeds  are  carefully  preserved  in  the  tobacco 
bladder  of  every  Llanero,  along  with  the  tubers  of  the 
snake  root,  {Aristolochia  hulbosa^  a  plant  possessing 
the  same  virtues,  and  withal  the  best  antidote  against 
the  bite  of  serpents. 

Several  other  medicinal  plants,  such  as  the  stately 
mora,  the  wild  sour-sop,  and  the  ma/purite,  are  also 
met  with  here ;  the  last  owes  its  name  to  the  pecu- 
liar odor,  not  unlike  that  of  the  skunk,  which  per- 
vades the  whole  plant,  rendering  it  any  thing  but 
acceptable  in  the  neighborhood  of  an  encampment. 

Of  wild  fruits  there  was  also  a  fine  array,  and 
among  them  the  most  delicious  of  all^  in  my  opinion, 
is  the  nianirito,  (Anona  muricata,)  a  fruit  scarcely 
known  to  horticulture,  and  still  less  to  the  listless  in- 
habitant of  the  country  where  it  grows  in  wild  lux- 
uriance ;  as  no  one  there  has  yet  thought  of  bringing 
it  under  cultivation.  This  plant,  which  belongs  to 
the  same  family  as  do  several  of  the  most  celebrated 


PLANTS  AND  SNAKES.  205 

fruit  trees  of  the  tropics — the  various  kinds  of  custard 
apples  and  the  delicious  cherimoyer — attains  a  height 
of  ten  feet,  and  at  the  season  of  maturity,  actually 
bends  to  the  ground  beneath  its  sweet  load..  Unfor- 
tunately it  all  ripens  at  once,  so  that  in  a  few  days 
the  whole  crop  disappears.  This  fruit,  like  its  con- 
gener the  sour-sop,  is  covered  with  soft  prickles.  The 
inside,  a  sweet  and  highly  aromatic  pulp,  is  filled  with 
small  seeds,  which,  when  the  fruit  is  eaten  in  large 
quantities,  as  is  generally  the  case,  are  apt  to  produce 
dangerous  strictures.  The  whole  plant  is  exceedingly 
fragrant ;  and  by  rubbing  the  leaves  between  the 
hands,  they  emit  a  delightful  aroma,  not  unlike  that 
of  new  mown  hay. 

Another  pleasant  fruit,  that  I  here  met  also  for 
the  first  time,  was  the  wild  madrona^  of  the  size  of  a 
lemon,  which  it  also  resembles  in  shape  and  color.  It 
is  filled  with  a  most  agreeable  sub-acid  pulp ;  this 
envelops  three  or  four  large  nuts,  not  unlike  cacao- 
beans,  and  tastes  very  much  like  strawberries.  The 
tree  producing  this  delicious  fruit  attains  a  height  of 
twenty  feet.  The  foliage  is  very  dense,  with  coria- 
ceous leaves  ten  inches  long,  of  a  brilliant  green.  A 
thick  yellow  resin,  resembling  gamboge,  exudes  from 
every  part  of  the  tree  when  wounded  ;  but  whether  it 
has  been  found  useful  for  any  particular  purpose,  I 
was  unable  to  ascertain. 

Somewhat  similar  to  the  latter,  although  growing 
upon  a  plant  of  an  entirely  difierent  nature,  is  the 
cacaita^  or  monkey  cacao-bean,  a  soft  and  rather  in- 
sipid fruit,  the  production  of  a  vine,  which  monkeys 
devour  greedily. 


206  WILD    SCENES  IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

By  far  the  largest  proportion  of  the  trees  were 
several  species  of  guamos  (Inga  lucida)  and  others  of 
the  same  order  of  leguminous  plants,  bearing  pods 
eight  or  ten  inches  long  ;  these  are  filled  with  a  row 
of  black  beans,  enveloped  in  a  snowy  white  and  sweet- 
ish pulp,  most  agreeable  to  the  taste.  The  ripening 
season  of  this  mild  and  wholesome  fruit  was  just  com- 
mencing, and  every  day  we  gathered  and  consumed 
quantities  of  it. 

Another  pod-bearing  tree  of  great  utility  proper 
to  that  region  is  the  algarroho^  (Hymenea  curb  aril,) 
the  locust  tree  of  the  New  World,  which  bears  a  thick 
ligneous  pod  containing  several  hard,  brown,  and 
rounded  beans.  These  are  surrounded  by  a  sweet  fari- 
naceous substance,  possessing  great  alimentary  prop- 
erties. A  fragrant  resin  exudes  from  the  pericarp  of 
the  pods,  which,  on  being  burned,  yields  a  perfume 
similar  to  the  odor  of  frankincense  combined  with 
that  of  balsam  of  Told. 

I  had  almost  forgotten  to  mention,  among  the 
agreeable  fruits  of  these  parts,  several  kinds  of  wild 
guavas,  from  the  tiny  Array  an,  scarcely  distinguish- 
able among  the  tufts  of  grass  by  which  it  is  sur- 
rounded, to  the  beautiful  paujil  shrub,  bearing  in 
great  profusion  quantities  of  brilliant  scarlet,  higlily 
perfumed  and  acidulous  fruits.  The  berry  of  the 
former  exactly  resembles  Jamaica  allspice  in  shape; 
is  quite  sweet,  and  possesses  in  a  high  degree  the  ex- 
quisite flavor  and  aroma  of  the  myrtle  tribe,  to  which 
indeed  all  these  plants  belong. 

Great  care  was  necessary  in  selecting  spits  for 
roasting  the  beef,  on  account  of  a  most  poisonous 


PLANTS  AND  SNAKES.  207 

shrub,  the  deadly  guachamacd^  abounding  there.  It 
belongs  to  the  extensive  family  of  Apocinese  or  Dog- 
banes, whose  poisonous  qualities  are  known  all  over 
the  world.  So  virulent  is  this  poison,  that  meat 
roasted  on  spits  made  from  the  guachamaca,  absorbs 
sufficient  poison  to  destroy  all  who  partake  of  it.  The 
lazy  Indians  make  use  of  it  to  kill  without  trouble  the 
cranes  and  herons  on  the  borders  of  lagoons.  For 
this  they  procure  a  number  of  sardines,  besmear  them 
with  the  juice  of  the  plant,  and  spread  them  along 
the  places  frequented  by  those  birds.  The  moment 
one  of  them  seizes  the  fish,  and  before  it  is  fairly  swal- 
lowed, the  bird  di'ops  dead  ;  then  the  indolent  hunter, 
issuing  from  his  hiding-place,  cuts  off  the  parts  affect- 
ed by  the  poison,  usually  the  head  and  neck,  and 
feels  no  scruple  in  eating  the  remainder. 

A  dreadful  case  of  poisoning  by  means  of  this 
plant  had  just  occurred  at  Nutrias,  soon  after  our  ar- 
rival on  the  Apure,  which  created  for  a  time  great 
excitement  even  amidst  that  scattered  population.  A 
woman  who  lived  with  a  man  in  the  vicinity  of  that 
town  became  jealous  of  the  attentions  he  bestowed 
upon  a  charming  neighbor  of  theirs,  and  determined 
to  avenge  herself,  but  in  some  manner  that  would  not 
excite  suspicion.  In  those  remote  regions  where  coro- 
ners and  chemists  are  unknown,  it  is  impossible  to 
detect  murder  except  where  marks  of  external  vio- 
lence are  visible.  Accordingly,  she  prepared  for  her 
lover  a  bowl  of  masato^  a  favorite  beverage  of  the 
country,  made  of  Indian  corn  boiled,  mashed  in  water, 
and  fermented  ;  in  this  she  soaked  chips  of  the  poison- 
ous plant  and  offered  it  to  him  with  smiling  grace. 


208  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

Delighted  at  sight  of  tlie  tempting  bowl,  the  unsus- 
pecting lover  invited  several  of  his  neighbors — among 
them  the  hated  rival — to  share  it  with  him.  The 
woman,  not  intending  to  destroy  any  but  her  perfid- 
ious lover,  during  his  absence  prepared  another  bowl, 
omitting  this  time  the  poison.  Llanero  politeness 
obliged  the  host,  however,  to  mix  his  portion  with 
the  others,  which  having  done,  he  invited  the  com- 
pany to  dip  their  calabash  cups  into  the  bowl.  Out 
of  eleven  persons  there  assembled,  among  them  sev- 
eral children,  not  one  escaped  except  the  wicked  per- 
petrator of  this  wholesale  murder  ;  nor  even  the  don- 
keys and  fowl  of  the  household,  as  their  attentive 
master  had  thrown  them  the  remains  of  the  deadly 
mixture. 

Such  is  the  dread  in  which  the  Llaneros  hold  this 
plant,  that  I  was  not  even  permitted  to  preserve  the 
specimens  of  fruit  and  flowers  I  had  collected,  with 
the  object  of  ascertaining,  on  my  return  to  the  Yal- 
leys,  the  botanical  characters  of  the  species.  Tliey 
almost  threatened  to  desert,  if  I  insisted  upon  carry- 
ing them  among  the  baggage. 

The  propagation  of  this  plant  throughout  the 
Apure  appears  to  be  of  recent  origin,  none  of  the 
oldest  inhabitants  recollecting  to  have  met  with  it 
until  within  comparatively  a  short  period. 

The  men  had  no  small  trouble  in  clearing  our 
camp  of  many  noxious  reptiles ;  and  it  became  our 
regular  afternoon  business  to  hunt  for  snakes.  We 
succeeded  in  killing  a  great  number  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  ranch,  some  very  poisonous,  while  others  were 


PLANTS  AND  SNAKES.  209 

quite  harmless  ;  of  the  latter  class  I  found  two  species 
of  coral  snakes,  against  which  an  nnjust  prejudice  ex- 
ists, that  they  are  among  the  most  poisonous.  Of  the 
former,  the  matacaballo  is  the  most  to  be  feared.  Al- 
though scarcely  larger  than  a  good-sized  earthworm, 
his  bite  is  nevertheless  almost  instantaneously  fatal  to 
man  and  beast.  Unlike  his  other  sluggish  and  torpid 
congeners,  this  little  snake  is  the  more  dangerous  be- 
cause always  on  the  alert.  Tlie  tramp  of  a  horse, 
especially,  never  fails  in  rousing  them,  against  which 
noble  animal  they  evince  an  inveterate  rancor.  I  was 
once  occupied  in  sketching  one  of  these  snakes,  which 
I  had  permitted  to  live  for  the  purpose,  and  I  observed 
that  whenever  a  horse  approached  us,  the  snake  rap- 
idly turned  his  head  in  the  direction  of  the  sound, 
seeming  as  if  anxious  to  strike  the  animal  with  his 
fangs  ;  but  as  I  had  fortunately  taken  the  precaution 
of  disabling  him  by  partially  breaking  his  spine,  he 
could  make  but  little  progress  toward  the  object  of 
his  dislike. 

The  tendinous  part  between  the  hoof  and  ankle- 
joint  of  the  horse  being  nearest  the  ground,  is  conse- 
quently most  exposed  to  the  bite  of  the  matacaballo  / 
and  although  the  distance  from  the  ankle  to  the  heart 
is  very  great,  it  not  unfrequently  happens  that  the 
animal  drops  as  if  touched  by  the  electric  spark,  from 
which  fact  I  infer  that  this  poison  acts  on  the  nervous 
system  as  well  as  on  the  blood.  Horned  cattle  and 
pigs  are  fortunately  shielded  by  the  thickness  of  their 
skin  from  the  fangs  of  this  destroyer,  which  cannot 
penetrate  it.  Hence  this  snake  has  been  termed,  par 
excellence,  matacaballo,  literally  horse-killer. 


210 


WILD   SCENES   IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 


It  was  at  one  time  extremely  dangerous  to  drive 
horses  across  the  banks  of  these  savannas  where 
bnakes  are  always  most  abundant ;  their  numbers, 
however,  have  been  considerably  diminished  since 
the  immense  multiplication  of  pigs  in  those  re- 
gions. 

Horses  have  there  also  another  dangerous  enemy — 
a  great  hairy  spider  or  species  of  the  tarantula  ;  this 
inflicts  a  very  poisonous  and  painful  sting  just  above 
the  hoof,  which  in  time  drops  off,  although  it  is  never 
followed  by  death. 

But  among  all  these  evil  creatures,  there  is  none 
so  disgusting  or  so  dangerous  as  the  rattlesnake.  The 
virulence  of  its  poison,  and  the  great  size  attained  by 
some,  renders  them  the  terror  of  every  man  and  beast 
where  they  abound.  Fortunately  for  mankind,  they 
have  been  provided  by  an  ever-watchful  Providence 
with  what  is  termed  a  rattle ;  this  is  composed  of  a 
number  of  horny  rings  placed  at  the  end  of  the  tail, 


PLANTS  AND  SNAKES.  211 

which,  on  being  shaken,  produce  a  peculiar  sound, 
and  serve  as  warning.  It  is  said  that  J^ature  every 
year  adds  one  of  these  rings,  thus  marking  the  age  of 
the  reptile.  From  its  loathsome  body  is  exhaled  a 
strong  odor,  somewhat  resembling  musk,  in  itself 
sufficient  to  warn  the  most  careless,  as  it  is  per- 
ceptible at  the  distance  of  a  hundred  feet.  The  head 
is  peculiarly  flat  and  broad,  and  the  eyes  sparkle  in 
the  darkness  like  specks  of  fire.  The  mouth  is  a 
ghastly  aperture,  whence  issues  a  black  and  forked 
tongue,  which  the  reptile  moves  incessantly  when 
irritated.  Two  long  fangs,  curved  inwardly,  project 
in  front  of  the  upper  jaw,  and  through  them  the 
fatal  venom  is  discharged.  Tlie  poison  is  secreted 
from  two  glands  in  the  form  of  small  bags  at  the 
root  of  the  fangs,  admirably  adapted  for  the  pur- 
pose, being  hollow  inside  throughout  their  whole 
length,  and  by  their  pressure  against  the  glands  pro- 
duced by  the  act  of  biting,  the  liquid  is  ejected  into 
the  w^ound.  Fortunately,  this  snake  is  the  slowest  in 
its  motions,  and  the  most  torpid  of  its  kind,  otherwise 
the  mischief  done  by  them  would  be  much  greater, 
they  being  very  abundant  also  in  the  Llanos.  Their 
favorite  haunts  are  the  hollow  trunks  of  decayed  trees 
and  deep  fissures  in  the  ground.  Occasionally  they 
are  found  coiled  among  thick  clumps  of  grass,  which 
shelter  them  from  the  glaring  sun ;  but  they  are 
always  ready  to  strike  any  intruder.  At  night  they 
issue  forth  in  quest  of  game,  returning  again  to  their 
hiding-places  before  sunrise. 

In  addition  to   the  foregoing,  there  are  several 
other  kinds  in  the  Apure  ;  among  the  harmless  ones 


212  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA 

the  sahanera  is  very  abundant  in  the  savannas,  from 
which  it  is  named.  Some  of  these  are  ten  feet  long, 
and  occasionally  even  more.  They  glide  over  the 
ground  with  astonishing  rapidity,  making  all  varieties 
of  contortions  with  their  bodies,  the  forward  part  of 
which  they  keep  all  the  while  raised  in  a  vertical  po- 
sition. These  snakes  are  very  useful,  as  they  destroy 
all  the  poisonous  kinds  they  encounter. 

The  beautiful  coral  snake,  with  alternate  rings  of 
red,  black,  and  white,  is  occasionally  seen  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  ant-holes.  Most  persons  attribute  to  it  very 
poisonous  qualities ;  but  I  have  examined  its  mouth 
carefully  and  found  there  no  fangs,  nor  any  of  the 
characteristics  of  poisonous  snakes. 

In  the  same  category  is  placed  another  inoffensive 
reptile,  a  cecilia,  emphatically  styled  culebra  de  dos 
cahezas,  or  two-headed  snake — so  named  on  account 
of  having  both  ends  of  its  body  of  equal  thickness, 
while  the  eyes  are  almost  invisible.  It  seems  the  con- 
necting link  between  snakes  and  earthworms,  partak- 
ing of  the  nature  of  both,  is  about  a  foot  long,  and 
rather  disproportionately  thick  for  its  length,  while 
its  body  is  covered  with  minute  scales.  As  this  snake 
has  the  power  of  moving  backward  or  forward  with 
equal  facility,  it  is  supposed  by  many  to  be  actually 
possessed  of  two  heads.  Tliere  is  abundant  nourish- 
ment for  it  in  the  ant  nests  which  it  frequents,  but  it 
feeds  also  on  earthworms,  and  the  larvae  of  insects, 
pursuing  them  with  unrelenting  perseverance  through 
the  ground.  The  double  motion  of  this  reptile,  its 
great  muscular  powers  and  flexibility  enable  it  to 
penetrate  the  deepest  recesses  of  a  colony  of  ants,  and 


PLANTS  AND  SNAKES.  213 

to  pierce  the   earth  with   wonderful   expedition   in 
search  of  prej. 

Another  singular  delusion  existing  in  the  Llanos 
is  the  general  belief  that  horse  and  human  hair  is 
transformed  into  snakes,  if  left  for  a  time  to  soak  in 
water.  The  snake  resulting  from  this  singular  meta- 
morphosis is  said  to  possess  all  the  venom  of  the  most 
virulent,  and  a  person  bitten  by  one  of  them  must  at 
once  resign  himself  to  his  fate,  as  there  is  no  remedy. 
I  recollect  having  often  observed  on  the  margins  of 
ditches  and  pools  of  stagnant  water  curious-looking 
creatures,  not  unlike  magnified  horsehaii',  with  snake- 
like motions ;  scarcely  any  thing  like  a  head  being 
visible,  and  still  less  a  mouth  with  the  requisite  fangs. 
They  are  singularly  tough  and  tenacious  of  life,  and 
may  be  beaten  with  a  stone  without  producing  any 
apparent  impression  upon  them.  From  this  fact,  and 
from  their  capillary  appearance,  the  delusion  has 
doubtless  originated. 

ANTIDOTES. 

Several  antidotes  are  recommended  for  the  venom- 
ous bite  of  snakes ;  some  of  them  possess  real  alexi- 
pharmic  virtues,  as  the  raiz  de  mato^  to  which  I 
have  already  alluded  under  the  name  of  Aristolochia 
bulbosa,  and  the  gvuco^  (Mikania  Guaco,)  a  compo- 
site plant  which  the  learned  Mutis  has  rendered  so 
celebrated  through  the  instrumentality  of  Humboldt ; 
the  others,  however,  are  nothing  more  than  supersti- 
tious imaginings,  which  see  in  the  tooth  of  a  crocodile 
extracted  on  Good   Friday,  or  in  some  unmeaning 


214  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH    AMERICA. 

orison  whispered  in  the  sufferer's  ear,  greater  powers 
than  in  all  the  resources  of  medical  science.  Yet 
such  is  the  leaning  of  the  benighted  children  of  Ma- 
ture in  these  regions  toward  the  supernatural,  that 
they  always  give  the  preference  to  whatever  savors 
most  of  the  miraculous.  Somewhat  of  this  has  doubt- 
less arisen  from  the  mistaken  idea  that  all  snakes  are 
poisonous.  Thus  if  it  so  happen  that  the  incantation 
is  whispered  over  a  person  who  recovers,  having  been 
bitten  by  a  harmless  snake,  his  cure  is  of  course  at- 
tributed to  magic,  which  is  accordingly  proclaimed  a 
sovereign  remedy  for  all  similar  cases  in  future.  Saint 
Paul,  as  I  have  already  mentioned,  possesses  not  only 
the  power  of  arresting  the  fatal  spring  of  a  snake,  if 
invoked  in  time,  but  can  also  neutralize  the  poison, 
even  when  it  is  circulating  through  the  veins.  Not- 
withstanding my  want  of  faith  in  the  intervention  of 
the  saint  in  question,  I  confess  myself  to  have  been 
on  an  occasion  extremely  puzzled  by  one  of  these 
cherished  superstitions,  the  famous  Oracion  de  San 
Pahlo^  and  up  to  this  period  have  not  been  able  to 
account  for  it  in  a  manner  satisfactory  to  my  common 
sense.  As  we  were  one  afternoon  driving  home  a 
herd  of  cattle,  the  majordomo's  horse  was  bitten  by  a 
matacaballo^  when  at  a  short  distance  from  the  ranch. 
The  rider  observed  his  sudden  start,  and  at  once  men- 
tioned the  cause  thereof.  The  ground,  overgrown 
with  grass,  was  diligently  searched,  and  the  snake  dis- 
covered and  killed  on  the  very  spot  pointed  out  by 
the  majordomo,  who  in  the  mean  time  had  hastened 
forward  with  his  horse  to  the  ranch,  knowing  that  the 
strength  of  the  poor  animal  would  soon  give  way. 


PLANTS  AND  SNAKES.  215 

Scarcely  had  he  alighted  when  his  horse,  covered  with 
a  cold  sweat,  dropped  to  the  ground.  A  ciirandero 
or  snake  doctor  immediately  presented  himself  and 
commenced  a  series  of  incantations  over  the  prostrate 
animal,  which  it  was  supposed  would  soon  counter- 
act the  poison.  I  was  anxious  to  administer  spirits 
of  hartshorn,  a  well-authenticated  remedy  for  such 
cases,  but  the  Llaneros  opposed  this  resolutely,  on  the 
ground  that  it  would  interfere  with  their  own.  The 
Oracion  was  accordingly  whispered  in  the  horse's  ear 
and  the  patient  then  removed  to  a  convenient  pasture, 
where  he  could  find  abundant  feed  if  fate  ever  restored 
his  appetite.  Here  he  was  left,  rolling  upon  the 
ground  and  moaning  piteously,  while  I  was  positively 
assured  by  the  men  that  in  the  course  of  two  hours,  at 
most,  he  would  be  completely  restored,  and  my  scep- 
ticism confounded.  Singularly  enough,  the  remedy 
acted  in  this  case  like  a  real  charm  ;  at  the  appointed 
time  the  horse  started  to  his  feet  and  commenced 
browsing  the  grass  around  him  with  as  much  gusto 
as  if  he  had  experienced  no  ailment  whatsoever. 
Whether  the  venom  of  the  snake  was  not,  in  this  in- 
stance, strong  enough  to  kill  the  horse ;  or,  what  is 
more  probable,  the  reptile's  fang  might  not  have  pen- 
etrated deep  enough,  are  questions  which  cannot  be 
decided,  but  shortly  afterward  the  same  horse,  a 
beautiful  but  wild  and  vicious  young  stallion,  came 
very  near  kicking  to  death  the  curandero  who  restored 
him  to  health. 

Tlie  Llaneros  are  not,  however,  the  only  people  in 
the  country  who  have  faith  in  these  miraculous  cures. 
It  is  more  or  less  entertained  throughout  the  country 


216  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

by  persons  more  enliglitened  in  other  respects  fhan 
they.  It  is  asserted  of  a  famous  curandero  in  the 
Yalleys  of  Aragua,  that  in  extreme  cases,  if  prevented 
from  going  in  person  to  the  patient,  it  was  only  neces- 
sary to  send  his  hat !  By  placing  this  talisman  on 
the  injured  man's  head,  it  would  not  only  afford  im- 
mediate relief,  but  arrest  the  progress  of  the  venom 
until  the  owner  could  come  himself  to  perfect  the 
cure. 

Another  singular  practice  obtains  among  Llaneros ; 
it  is  that  of  inoculation  with  the  juice  of  certain  plants 
possessing  alexipharmic  virtues,  after  which  the  most 
poisonous  snakes  may  be  handled  with  impunity.  It 
is  asserted,  moreover,  that  cerrados — as  individuals 
thus  inoculated  are  termed — are  not  only  proof  against 
the  bite  of  these  reptiles,  but  can  attract  them  around 
their  persons  by  merely  clapping  of  hands  or  whis- 
tling for  them  in  fields  where  they  abound.  Having 
never  witnessed  any  of  these  experiments,  I  will 
neither  undertake  to  uphold  the  truth  of  this  asser- 
tion, nor  will  I  question  its  veracity ;  but  there  are 
hundreds  of  reliable  persons  in  the  country  who  will 
unhesitatingly  swear  to  its  efficacy ;  among  them,  is 
the  testimony  of  Dr.  Benites,  a  professional  gentleman 
who  has  i)ublished  the  result  of  his  experiments  in  a* 
small  book  on  the  materia  medica  of  the  country. 
With  the  view  of  ascertaining  the  alleged  properties 
of  the  guaco  he  devoted  a  great  portion  of  his  time 
while  at  La  Victoria  in  experimenting  with  various 
kinds  of  snakes  ;  from  him  I  quote  the  following  pas- 
sage :    "  The  guaco  possesses  in  a  high  degree  the 


PLANTS  AND  SNAKES.  217 

faculty  of  preserving  man  and  animals  in  general 
from  the  terrible  and  fatal  effects  of  the  bites  of  ser- 
pents. This  valuable  secret,  discovered  in  Bogota  by 
the  celebrated  naturalist,  Don  Celestino  Mtitis,  in 
1788,  remains  still  as  such  among  some  curanderos 
of  our  own  country,  who,  under  certain  mysterious 
forms,  and  availing  themselves  of  the  fangs  of  ser- 
pents, puncture  several  slight  incisions  in  certain 
parts  of  the  body,  which  they  fill  with  the  powdered 
leaves  of  the  guaco  previously  made  dry,  and  admin- 
ister the  same  internally  mixed  in  common  rum. 
This  property  of  the  guaco  is  so  reliable,  inoculation 
by  means  of  the  juice  such  as  was  practised  by  Mutis 
himself  so  well  authenticated,  and  the  facts  concern- 
ing it  so  well  attested,  that  there  cannot  longer  exist 
the  least  doubt  in  regard  to  its  efficacy.  I  wished  to 
convince  myself  by  actual  experiment,  and  can  testify 
that  in  a  thousand  trials  of  inoculation  practised  by 
myself  in  different  ways  on  patients  whom  I  allowed 
to  be  bitten  by  various  kinds  of  snakes,  I  never  knew 
one  to  fail.  Sufl&ce  it  to  say  that  the  principal  amuse- 
ment of  children  in  this  place  is  to  catch,  carry  about 
and  play  with  snakes,  and  that  even  young  ladies 
keep  them  in  their  bosoms  or  coil  them  around  their 
necks." 

It  appears,  nevertheless,  absolutely  necessary  to 
renew  the  inoculation  at  different  epochs  of  a  man's 
life,  as  in  the  case  of  vaccination  it  loses  its  power 
after  a  time.  It  was  no  doubt  owing  to  his  neglect 
of  the  rule,  that  a  gentleman  in  the  town  of  Ocumare 
some  years  ago  fell  a  victim  to  his  blind  confidence 
in  this  sort  of  inoculation.  Don  K.  Ugarte  had  kept 
10 


218  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

a  rattlesnake  in  a  drawer  during  four  years  ;  with  it 
he  occasionally  amused  himself,  no  more  harm  result- 
ing therefrom  than  if  it  had  been  a  kitten.  One  day 
on  returning  home  from  his  rounds  in  the  plantation, 
he  felt  in  the  humor  of  playing  a  little  with  his  old 
pet,  and  accordingly  took  him  out  of  his  berth  and 
placed  him  upon  the  writing  desk  before  him.  One 
of  the  children  who  had  also  been  inoculated  happen- 
ing to  be  near,  the  father  suggested  that  he  should 
kiss  the  reptile ;  to  this,  the  child  objected  very  de- 
cidedly ;  the  foolish  parent,  however,  insisting,  the 
mother  interfered  and  begged  that  her  child  should 
not  be  compelled  to  touch  the  loathsome  creature ; 
whereupon  the  father  exclaimed  :  "  How  foolish  you 
are  !  I  will  show  you  how  it  kisses  me.  ]^ow,  then, 
pet,  give  me  a  kiss ; "  and  so  saying,  he  leaned  for- 
ward toward  the  snake;  true  to  its  instincts,  the 
reptile  sprang  to  his  lips  and  implanted  such  a  kiss 
that  its  master  never  recovered  from  the  effects.  Both 
fangs  of  the  snake  went  quite  through  his  upper  lip, 
and  he  at  once  felt  himself  to  be  mortally  wounded. 
A  physician  was  sent  for  without  delay,  but  he  ex- 
pired before  assistance  could  reach  him. 

The  guaco  is  employed,  moreover,  in  various  other 
disorders  of  the  system  with  great  success.  In  chronic 
rheumatism  it  is  an  invaluable  remedy  both  in  the 
form  of  poultices  made  of  the  fresh  leaves,  or  by  sim- 
ply rubbing  the  part  affected  with  a  decoction  of  the 
plant  in  spirits,  and  taking  internally  one  or  two 
ounces  of  the  expressed  juice,  morning  and  evening. 
Administered  in  the  latter  form  it  is  an  efficacious 
remedy  against  hydrophobia,  if  given  immediately 


PLANTS  AND  SNAKES. 


219 


after  the  person  has  been 
bitten  by  a  mad  dog.  Gen- 
eral Paez  was  thus  saved, 
when  a  youth,  from  this 
dreadful  scourge  of  tropical 
countries  ;  he  has  neverthe- 
less retained  in  after  life 
some  evil  effects  of  the 
virus  still  in  his  system 
manifesting  itself  in  a  ten- 
dency to  severe  spasmodic 
affections,  especially  at 
sight  of  a  snake,  which 
invariably  induces  violent 
convulsions. 

Next  to  the  guaco  in 
importance  as  an  alexiphar- 
mic,  may  be  classed  the 
raiz  de  mato^  including 
several  varieties  of  Aristo- 
lochias,  the  roots  of  which 
are  intensely  bitter.  As 
its  name  implies,  it  is  said 
to  afford  the  mato — a  large 
species  of  lizard — a  prompt 
antidote  against  the  bite* 
of  his  old  antagonist,  the 
snake.  There  would  seem 
to  exist  some  ancient 
grudge  between  these  two 
reptiles,  many  persons  as- 
serting that  whenever  they 


220  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

come  in  sight  of  one  another,  they  instantly  rush  to 
the  attack,  the  mato  never  failing  to  overcome  his 
rival  by  his  superior  botanical  knowledge ;  this,  or 
his  instinct,  prompts  him  to  seek  the  plant,  and 
swallowing  some  of  the  leaves,  returns  recuperated  to 
the  fight.* 

It  was  doubtless  from  this  circumstance  the  knowl- 
edge was  first  obtained  respecting  the  valuable  prop- 
erties of  the  plants  ;  and  it  is  not  a  little  remarkable 
that  people  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  unac- 
quainted with   the  botanical   structure  of  Aristolo- 

*  Dr.  Lindley,  speaking  of  the  properties  of  Aristolochias  in  general, 
and  more  especially  of  A.  serpentaria — a  North  American  species — ob- 
serves: *'  As  its  name  implies,  it  is  used  as  an  antidote  to  serpent  bites, 
a  quality  in  which  several  other  species  participate,  among  which  may  be 
mentioned  A.  trilobata,  a  Jamaica  plant,  also  employed  as  a  sudden  and 
powerful  sudorific ;  and  the  Cartagena  A.  unguicida,  concerning  which 
Jaquin  writes,  that  the  juice  of  the  root,  chewed  and  introduced  into  the 
mouth  of  a  serpent,  so  stupefies  it  that  it  may  for  a  long  time  be  handled 
with  impunity ;  if  the  reptile  is  compelled  to  swallow  a  few  drops,  it 
perishes  in  convulsions.  The  root  is  also  reputed  to  be  an  antidote  to 
serpent  bites.  This  plant  is  probably  the  celebrated  guaco  of  the  Colum- 
bians,* concerning  whose  supposed  efficacy  as  an  alexipharmic  so  much 
has  been  said  by  Humboldt  and  others ;  at  least  a  leaf  of  what  is  either 
this  species  or  one  closely  allied  to  it,  has  been  given  me  by  Dr.  Han- 
cock as  the  genuine  guaco.  It  is  not  a  little  remarkable  that  the  power 
of  stupefying  snakes,  ascribed  in  Cartagena  to  A.  anguicida,  should  be 
also  attributed  to  A.  pallida,  longa,  boetica,  serpenvirens,  and  rotunda, 
which  are  said  to  be  the  plants  with  which  the  Egyptian  jugglers  stupefy 
the  snakes  they  play  with.  In  medicine  these  plants  are  slightly  aromatic, 
stimulating  tonics,  useful  in  the  latter  stages  of  low  fever ;  the  taste  is 


*  This  is  evidently  a  mistake,  as  the  plant  alluded  to  here  belongs  to  the  ex- 
tensive family  ofCompositii';  probably  the  great  resemblance  which  its  leaves  bear 
to  those  of  Aristolochias — being  deeply  cordate-acuminate— has  given  rise  to  it 

Tub  AuTnoK. 


PLANTS  AND  SNAKES.  221 

cliias,  should  have  discovered  in  them  properties  of 
equal  merit,  and  classed  them  under  the  same  ver- 
nacular name. 

bitter  and  acrid  ;  the  odor  strong  and  disagreeable :  they  are  said  to  be 
sudorific,  and  have  been  employed  as  emmenagogues  in  amenorrhoea." 

Lindley's  Vegetable  Kingdom. 


CHAPTER  XVL 

TIGER       STORIES. 

On  the  second  night  from  our  arrival  at  the  Mata, 
just  as  most  of  our  party  in  their  hammocks  were 
swinging  off  into  dreamland,  the  ominous  cry  of  El 
Tigre  I — the  tiger — was  heard  in  the  direction  of  the 
camp  fires,  where  a  few  of  the  men  still  lingered.  As 
if  lifted  by  a  gust  of  the  pampero,  every  man  dropped 
from  his  aerial  couch,  and  in  an  instant  the  whole 
camp  became  a  scene  of  the  wildest  confusion.  Fire- 
brands flew  in  every  direction,  by  the  uncertain  glare 
of  which  we  gained  occasional  glimpses  of  the  jaguar, 
for  such  was  the  intruder,  prowling  near  us  like  a 
huge  cat.  The  horses  snorted  in  terror,  the  men 
shouted  vociferously,  while  our  brave  Monico  com- 
menced drumming  upon  his  pots  and  kettles  as  if 
they  were  so  many  gongs,  with  which  in  his  capacity 
of  cook  he  summoned  us  to  dinner,  creating  such  an 
uproar  as  drowned  the  voices  of  men  and  beasts,  and 
was  horrible  enough  to  frighten  away  a  legion  of 
jaguars.  The  odor  of  the  savory  spits,  at  all  hours 
faithful  to  their  posts  around   the  camj^  fires,  had 


/'I' 


\ 


^-v 


TIGER  STORIES.  223 

doubtless  proved  the  magnet  of  attraction  to  his 
spotted  majesty,  who,  probably  disgusted  with  the 
style  of  his  reception,  made  a  precipitate  retreat  to 
his  stronghold  in  the  forest,  growling  indignation  at 
our  want  of  hospitality. 

Although  among  the  natives  he  is  commonly 
known  by  the  name  of  the  tiger,  this  animal  is  act- 
ually the  jaguar  or  Felix  Onza  of  naturalists,  no  real 
tigers  existing  in  any  part  of  America.  It  neverthe- 
less exerts  the  same  tyranny  over  other  animals  as 
does  the  tiger  or  leopard  in  the  hot  regions  of  the  Old 
World,  diflering  from  its  congener  principally  in  the 
form  of  the  marks  upon  liis  skin,  which  in  the  jaguar 
of  America  are  rounded  or  in  rings,  therein  unlike  the 
long  stripes  of  the  Bengal  tiger.  In  another  species 
common  to  the  forests  of  Gu  ay  ana,  the  skin  is  nearly 
black,  the  spots  b(iing  invisible  except  in  the  broad 
sunlight.  This  is  considered  the  most  sanguinary  and 
ferocious.  Some  jaguars  attain  a  great  size,  measur- 
ing seven  feet  from  the  nose  to  the  tail.  They  are 
sufficiently  powerful  to  kill  an  ox  or  horse  and  drag 
them  off  over  the  highest  fences. 

When  the  excitement  occasioned  by  the  intrusion 
of  the  nocturnal  tliief  had  subsided,  few  of  us  were 
inclined  for  sleep  ;  several  of  our  men,  therefore,  who 
had  been  at  different  times  active  participators  in 
similar  adventures,  volunteered  entertaining  us  for 
the  remainder  of  the  night  with  some  interesting 
stories  concerning  this  lord  of  South  American  for- 
ests. From  them  I  gathered  many  useful  facts  re- 
specting his  habits  and  disposition,  which  I  shall 
recount  as  nearly  as  possible  verbatim. 


224:  WILD  SCENES   IN   SOUTH    AMERICA. 

Although,  perhaps,  the  most  powerful  among  wild 
beasts  of  this  coutinent,  the  jaguar  is  by  no  means  as 
terrible  as  might  be  supposed  from  the  renown  of  his 
prowess.  Occasionally  when  hard  pressed  by  hunger 
he  ventures  within  the  precincts  of  man,  robbing  the 
corrals  of  the  farmhouse  of  their  defenceless  inmates. 
Many  instances  are  also  related  of  his  having  attacked 
and  carried  off  a  solitary  traveller  to  his  lair  in  the 
woods  ;  but  he  usually  evinces  the  profoundest  respect 
for  man  unless  driven  to  extremities,  when  he  has 
been  known  to  set  at  defiance  the  combined  efforts  of 
a  host  of  men  and  dogs.  When  thus,  by  a  too  inti- 
mate acquaintance  with  the  people  and  flocks  of  some 
particular  community,  he  has  gone  so  far  as  to  levy 
blackmail  upon  them,  the  appellation  of  cehado — as  in 
the  case  of  the  crocodile — is  given  to  the  jaguar.  An 
animal  of  this  description  is  said  to  possess  wonderful 
daring  and  instinct,  making  him  by  far  the  most  dan- 
gerous of  the  class,  attacking  not  only  tame  animals 
in  the  corrals,  but  even  individuals  are  frequently  as- 
sailed and  devoured  by  him.  It  is  said  also  that  when 
he  has  once  tasted  human  blood,  he  becomes  insatiable 
in  his  eagerness  to  procure  this  luxury.  They  are  then 
so  dangerous,  that  the  owners  of  cattle  farms  usually 
call  a  meeting  of  all  the  hateros  in  the  vicinity,  capa- 
ble of  handling  lazo  or  lance — firearms  being  rarely 
used  in  expeditions  of  this  kind — and  with  the  assist- 
ance of  a  pack  of  well-trained  hounds  of  a  peculiar 
breed,  called  tigreros  in  consequence,  they  surround 
the  wood  supposed  to  harbor  the  tiger,  and  beating 
carefully  about  the  jungle,  drive  him  out  into  the  open 
plain,  where  men  on  horseback  are  stationed  ready  to 


TIGER  STORIES.  225 

lazo  the  game  as  it  breaks  cover.  To  ensure  success, 
it  is  only  requisite  tliat  the  liorses  be  steady  and  well 
trained  to  the  sport ;  and  as  the  tiger,  conscious  of 
his  danger,  frequently  refuses  to  quit  the  jungle,  a 
number  of  daring  matadors  are  also  needed  to  drive 
him  out  or  attack  him  in  his  lair,  assisted  in  this  by 
the  dogs,  which,  by  harassing  him  on  all  sides,  divert 
him  from  the  assailants. 

Jaguars  were  at  one  time  so  numerous  in  the 
Llanos,  that  their  ravages  upon  the  calves  and  young 
foals  were  truly  frightful.  This  circumstance,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  value  attached  in  other  countries  to 
their  beautiful  skins,  have  contributed  to  reduce  the 
numbers  very  considerably,  as  whenever  they  make 
their  appearance  they  are  eagerly  pursued. 

In  its  wuld  state  the  jaguar  is  an  exceedingly  beau- 
tiful animal ;  his  motions  particularly  easy  and  grace- 
ful, and  possessing  wonderful  agility  in  bounding 
among  the  trees  and  tall  grass  of  the  savannas. 
When  watching  for  prey,  he  generally  crouches  upon 
the  ground,  the  fore  paws  stretched  out,  resting  his 
head  between  them  in  a  manner  very  similar  to  that 
of  the  domestic  cat ;  and  as  he  climbs  trees  with  a 
facility  almost  equal  to  that  of  monkeys,  these  are  in 
exceeding  dread  of  him  on  that  account. 

The  haunts  usually  preferred  by  the  jaguar  appear 
to  be  swampy  borders  of  marshes  and  lagoons  over- 
grown with  reeds  and  wild  plantain,  where  they  are 
sure  of  finding  plenty  of  game.  Water  hogs  or  capy- 
varas  especially,  are  easy  prey,  as  they  cannot  move 
except  in  short  jumps.  It  is  asserted  that  where  these 
animals  abound,  there  is  little  to  be  feared  from  the 
10* 


226  ^^^^   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

jaguar,  which  always  prefers  the  wild  animals  of  the 
field  for  food,  becoming  bolder  and  more  dangerous 
to  man  in  proportion  as  these  disappear. 

My  earliest  recollection  of  the  jaguar  dates  from 
the  time  when  the  famous  town  of  Achaguas  was 
head-quarters  for  the  patriot  army  commanded  by 
my  father.  I  was  a  little  fellow  not  more  than  three 
years  of  age,  when  a  foraging  party  fell  in  with  a 
tigress  and  her  cub  ;  the  latter  they  secured  and 
brought  to  Achaguas  after  a  desperate  struggle  with 
the  mother.  The  extreme  beauty  and  youth  of  the 
captive  soon  gained  the  sympathies  and  favor  of  a 
host  of  admirers,  especially  those  of  the  female  de- 
partment, in  the  household  of  Colonel  Mujica,  who 
purchased  it  and  consigned  it  to  their  care.  Under 
their  special  protection  and  good  treatment  it  quickly 
grew  strong  enough  to  take  part  in  all  squabbles 
among  the  dogs  aud  cats  of  the  family,  which  an- 
imals always  form  a  prominent  feature  in  all  well- 
regulated  Llanero  establishments.  At  first  the  new 
pet  was  allowed  the  entire  freedom  of  the  premises, 
associating  very  readily  with  every  stranger  who  vis- 
ited the  house,  and  evincing  none  of  the  disagreeable 
traits  ascribed  to  these  animals.  I,  who  participated 
in  all  its  juvenile  antics,  and  who  supposed  it  to  be 
only  a  large  cat,  very  soon  became  its  favorite  play- 
mate, until  on  one  occasion  it  carried  its  pranks  so 
far  as  to  throw  me  down,  at  the  same  time  tearing 
my  clothing  to  rags  with  its  claws.  From  this  mo- 
ment it  was  considered  expedient  to  chain  up  my 
playfellow,  and  accordingly  he  was  secured  to  a  pillar 


TIGER  STORIES  227 

in  the  corridor  of  tlie  house.  It  is  related  of  this  fa- 
vorite, that  having  afterward  broken  its  chain,  it 
speedily  found  the  way  to  the  poultry  yard  where  the 
Colonel  kept  his  game  chickens,  not  one  of  which  was 
left  to  fight  its  battles  over.  For  this  unpardouable 
breach  of  discipline  the  young  tiger  received  so  sound 
a  castigation  as  to  cripple  the  poor  fellow  for  life. 

I^umberless  are  the  tricks  recorded  of  the  lame 
tiger  of  Colonel  Mujica,  they  for  a  time  constituting 
the  principal  amusement  of  those  of  the  army  who 
were  in  the  habit  of  frequenting  the  Colonel's  quarters 
to  while  away  their  idle  hours  at  the  favorite  game 
of  monte.  What  finally  became  of  my  uncouth  play- 
fellow, I  am  unable  to  state ;  the  probability  is  that 
he,  as  well  as  most  of  the  brave  champions  of  that 
memorable  epoch,  is  dead ;  at  all  events,  they  are 
buried  ....  in  the  dust  of  the  past. 

In  a  solitary  ranch,  not  far  from  San  Jaime,  there 
once  lived  a  poor  w^idow,  who,  out  of  compassion  for 
a  young  cub  which  had  been  picked  up  by  some  va- 
queros  undertook  to  raise  it  with  the  milk  of  her  own 
goats,  sheltering  it  at  night  from  the  damp  under  the 
folds  of  her  bed,  covering  and  treating  the  foundling 
with  as  much  affection  as  though  it  were  her  child. 
In  return,  the  little  fellow  became  so  attached  to  its 
adopted  mother,  that  it  could  not  endure  a  moment's 
separation  from  her,  and  would  lie  like  a  cat  by  the 
fireside  while  she  devoted  herself  to  the  occupations 
of  the  kitchen.  As  it  grew  older  and  stronger,  the 
woman's  slender  stock  of  goats  was  rapidly  dimin- 
ished by  its  repeated  depredations  ;  it  was  therefore 


228  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

deemed  prudent  to  give  it  wider  range  than  the 
widow's  little  farm-yard,  and  it  was  encouraged  to 
seek  for  game  in  the  neighboring  woods.  Whenever 
successful  in  these  excursions,  the  intelligent  creature 
invariably  brought  some  home,  and  with  seeming 
pride  laid  it  at  the  feet  of  its  benefactress.  On  one 
occasion,  some  of  her  neighbors  having  come  to  pass 
the  day  with  her,  she  thought  that  as  game  was  plen- 
tiful and  easily  obtained,  she  would  spare  such  of  her 
goats  as  had  thus  far  escaped  the  teeth  of  her  favorite, 
and,  instead,  procure  with  its  assistance  a  supply  of 
venison  with  which  to  treat  her  guests.  Accordingly, 
leaving  the  hut  in  their  charge,  she  and  her  efficient 
hunter  started  for  the  woods,  proposing  to  be  back  in 
time  to  cook  the  dinner  ;  but  to  the  astonishment  of 
her  visitors,  the  dinner-hour  arrived,  then  the  night, 
but  no  tidings  of  the  hunters  ;  and  up  to  this  time,  I 
believe,  nothing  has  been  heard  about  either  of  the 
former  tenants  of  the  solitary  ranch,  although  it  is 
not  difficult  to  imagine  the  poor  widow's  fate. 

"We  had  once  in  our  employ  a  stout  and  powerful 
sambo,  who  on  account  of  his  name — Bolivar — and 
his  great  muscular  development,  had  received  the 
sobriquet  of  Bolivote,  or  big  Bolivar.  Great  was  his 
pride  in  possessing  not  only  the  same  patronymic  as 
the  distinguished  General  of  his  name,  but  also  some 
deep  scars  on  his  right  arm,  inflicted  by  the  claws  of 
a  jaguar,  which  he  improved  every  opportunity  of 
displaying. 

Bolivote  had  been  riding  hard  during  a  whole 
day,  and  feeling  rather  weary,  sought  repose  under 


TIGER  STORIES.  229 

the  shade  of  a  clump  of  palm  trees,  allowing  his  horse 
meanwhile  to  crop  the  grass  near  by.  He  had  lain 
down  at  the  foot  of  a  palm,  and  almost  fallen  asleej), 
when  he  was  roused  by  a  rustling  of  the  leaves  over- 
.  head,  and  looking  up  to  ascertain  the  cause,  beheld 
with  astonishment  a  large  jaguar  in  the  act  of  spring- 
ing upon  him.  He  started  to  his  feet,  but  was  within 
the  tiger's  grasj)  ere  he  could  unsheath  his  sword. 
Without  losing  a  moment  he  plunged  his  finger  into 
one  of  the  fiery  eyeballs  glaring  upon  him,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  forcing  it  from  its  socket.  The  pain  thus 
inflicted  was  so  acute,  that  the  tiger  retreated  with 
fearful  yells ;  yet  not  before  he  had  mangled  with 
teeth  and  claws  the  sturdy  arm  which  had  punished 
him  so  severely. 

During  our  journey  across  the  pampas,  we  were 
shown  the  spot  where  not  long  before  a  jaguar  had 
attacked  a  woman.  Her  preservation,  also,  was  due 
to  presence  of  mind,  and  to  the  fact  of  being  armed 
with  a  machete  or  cutlass,  with  which  she  had  in- 
tended cutting  a  load  of  wood  for  domestic  uses. 
The  wood  being  near  at  hand,  she  was  in  the  daily 
habit  of  fearlessly  traversing  the  plain  alone.  Oq 
one  occasion  she  went  al  Tnonte^  to  the  fields,  as  they 
say  there,  with  the  intention  of  collecting  her  usual 
load  of  fagots.  No  sooner  did  she  commence  break- 
ing the  sticks,  than  a  deep  rumbling  growl  which 
seemed  to  shake  the  ground  beneath  her  feet,  almost 
paralyzed  her  movements.  Although  the  sound  was 
somewhat  familiar,  yet  she  never  before  had  heard  it 
so  near  at  hand,  and  she  was  therefore  instantly  con- 


230  WILD   SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

scions  of  lier  perilous  situation.  Knowing  tliat  an 
attempt  at  precipitate  flight  would  only  contribute  to 
increase  the  anger  of  the  tiger,  she  decided  accord- 
ingly upon  concealing  herself  and  remaining  perfectly 
quiet  behind  a  large  tree.  Yain  endeavor  !  in  a  few 
moments  a  large  jaguar  glided  from  the  tangled  jun- 
gle and  stood  before  the  terrified  woman,  his  eyes 
shooting  fire,  his  open  mouth  parched  with  thirst  of 
blood.  At  the  dread  sight  she  gave  herself  up  for 
lost,  and  began  reciting  aloud  a  prayer  to  her  patron 
saint,  which 'the  tiger  answered  with  another  fearful 
roar.  The  jaguar  then  commenced  tearing  up  the 
roots  of  the  nearest  tree,  looking  the  while  like  a  huge 
eat  sharpening  his  claws.  Then  gradually  approach- 
ing the  woman's  hiding-place  until  within  a  few  yards, 
with  a  bound  he  cleared  the  space  separating  them, 
and  alighted  at  the  foot  of  the  tree  behind  which  she 
was  sheltered.  Without  a  moment's  loss,  the  woman 
aimed  a  blow  with  her  machete^  severing  one  of  the 
paws  which  grasped  the  tree.  This  partly  disabling 
him,  he  retreated  a  few  paces  ;  but  soon  returning  to 
the  attack,  received  a  second  blow,  this  time  on  his 
head,  with  such  good  effect  that  he  fell  stunned  upon 
the  ground.  It  is  needless  to  add  that  our  heroine 
did  not  wait  to  see  what  might  have  been  the  final 
result  of  this  blow,  but  springing  from  her  hiding- 
place,  she  so  belabored  him  with  her  machete  as  to 
completely  spoil  his  skin  for  marketable  purposes. 

Among  the  troop  of  idlers  and  adventurers  always 
following  the  camp,  we  were  favored  at  Mata  Gorda 
with  the  company  of  a  famous  story  teller  of  the 


TIGER  STORIES.  231 

Apnre,  who,  in  wonderful  encounters  with  wild 
beasts,  and  marvellous  adventures,  might  almost 
rival  the  celebrated  Baron  Munchausen,  or  even  the 
sailor  of  Arabian  Nights  celebrity.  His  real  name 
was  B. ;  but  owing  to  his  diminutive  stature  and 
cunning,  he  had  been  honored  with  the  familiar  ap- 
pellation of  Tio  Conejo.^  Indeed,  so  small  was  he, 
that  if  we  credit  his  statement,  he  was  often  mistaken 
for  his  own  baby,  usurping  its  place  in  the  cradle  for 
the  purpose  of  enjoying  the  kisses  and  other  petites 
caresses  usually  lavished  by  the  female  sex  upon  these 
tender  innocents.  Among  the  various  incidents  of 
his  eventful  life,  he  had,  as  a  matter  of  course,  some- 
thing to  say  concerning  tigers. 

"  Once  iipon  a  time,"  said  our  humorous  compan- 
ion, ''  I  was  by  the  banks  of  the  river  Uribante,  and 
there  had  an  opportunity  of  cheating  Tio  Tigre  in 
his  endeavors  to  make  mince  meat  of  my  humble 
self.  Returning  one  day  from  a  successful  fishing 
excursion,  I  was  enjoying  my  usual  siesta  when  JEl 
Tio  made  up  his  mind,  as  it  seemed,  to  pay  me  an 
unexpected  visit,  doubtless  with  the  intention  of  rob- 
bing me  of  the  products  of  my  industry,  which  I  had 
dressed  and  salted  a  few  minutes  before.  Happily  I 
have  for  obvious  reasons  accustomed  my  eyes  to 
keep  alternate  watch  when  camping  out  alone,  as  was 
the  case  in  this  instance,  so  that  if  approached  by  any 
evil-disposed  individual,  I  am  always  able  to  avoid 

*  Tio  Tigre  and  Tio  Con^jo— Uncle  Tiger  and  Uncle  Rabbit.  These 
are  the  heroes  of  endless  adventures,  the  mother's  never-failing  source  of 
amusement  to  her  children,  supposed  to  have  taken  place  in  the  woods 
of  Venezuela. 


232  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

danger  tlirougli  the  watchfulness  of  the  one  on  duty ; 
when  this  sentinel  becomes  weary,  I  allow  it  to  sleep 
and  rouse  its  fellow. 

^'  Well,  Senores^  as  I  have  said  already,  one  of  my 
watchmen  observing  the  tiger  coming  toward  me,  I 
sprang  from  my  hammock  with  the  intention  of  giv- 
ing him  a  warm  reception  ;  but,  luckily  for  the 
spotted  vagabond,  my  cuchillo,  which  is  always  by 
my  side,  was  left  forgotten  among  the  heap  of  fish  I 
had  been  dressing.  Thus  cut  off  from  my  only  means 
of  defence,  and  observing  near  by  an  immense  gourd 
of  a  size  such  as  is  rarely  seen  in  these  parts,  I  slipped 
into  it  just  when  Tio  Tigre  thought  he  had  me." 

The  narrative  was  here  interrupted  by  a  sceptical 
individual  from  the  audience  insisting  upon  being  en- 
lightened as  to  the  precise  dimensions  of  that  gourd  ; 
the  reply  was,  "  Why,  Sirs,  here  is  nothing  extraor- 
dinary. I  have  seen  squashes  at  the  foot  of  the  Cor- 
dilleras, each  of  which  would  be  a  load  sufficient  for 
a  bongo.  I  once  lost  a  pack  of  mules  during  the 
night,  and  after  searching  for  them  around  the  base 
of  what  I  supposed  a  hillock,  I  found  the  sagacious 
animals  inside  one  of  these  squashes — for  such  was 
the  seeming  hillock — supping  at  leisure  on  the  succu- 
lent pulp,  having  gnawed  for  themselves  a  passage  to 
the  interior.  But  to  return  to  my  story.  The  tiger, 
enraged  at  my  sudden  disappearance,  commenced  a 
deliberate  attack  with  teeth  and  claws  upon  the  tough 
and  slippery  shell,  with  no  other  result  than  that  of 
rolling  the  gourd  with  me  in  it  further  from  him. 

"  It  was  hugely  amusing  to  watch  from  my  strong- 
hold the  tactics  of  my  assailant;   at  one  moment 


TIGER  STORIES.  233 

crouched  a  short  distance  off  upon  the  ground,  he 
^Y0uld  watch  the  mysterious  object  much  as  a  cat 
watches  a  mouse ;  then  with  a  sudden  spring  pounced 
again  upon  the  gourd,  thus  causing  it  to  roll  before 
him  like  a  ball.  My  only  fear  was,  that  the  tiger  in 
one  of  these  furious  onsets  might  precipitate  me  into 
the  stream  below.  I  was  not  then  aware  that  water 
in  deep  rivers  reaches  no  lower  than  the  base  of  their 
steep  banks,  which  act  as  support  for  the  whole  body 
of  water  above,  thus  leaving  a  clear  expanse  under- 
neath and  the  bed  of  the  river  entirely  dry,  a  remark- 
able fact  which  I  discovered  on  another  occasion 
when  diving  in  the  Orinoco  for  a  lost  treasure  belong- 
ing to  the  monks. 

"  That  which  I  feared  at  last  came  to  pass.  The 
gourd,  pushed  by  the  tiger,  fell  spinning  into  the 
water,  and  I  found  myself  sailing  down  the  stream 
escorted  by  a  band  of  hungry  crocodiles,  who 
watched  me  with  eager  eyes  and  open  jaws,  until 
my  patron  saint  in  the  form  of  a  humane  porpoise 
came  to  my  assistance,  frightened  off  the  ugly 
wretches,  and  receiving  me  on  his  back,  landed  me 
in  safety  on  a  desert  shore,  where,  amigos,  you  will 
have  to  leave  me  for  the  present,  as  it  is  almost  morn- 
ing, and  we  must  sleep  an  hour  or  two  before  starting 
for  the  BodeoP 

THE  PAMTffiR-TIGER. 

Although  principally  a  sojourner  in  the  more  ele- 
vated parts  of  the  country,  the  panther  is  occasion- 
ally seen  descending  toward  the  plains  in  search  of 


23i  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

the  abundant  fare  of  the  pampas.  He  resembles  the 
jaguar  in  many  respects,  and  is  called  in  consequence, 
tigre  de  serrania^  or  mountain  tiger.  He  is,  however, 
easily  distinguished  from  the  former  by  the  shape  of 
his  head,  which  in  the  panther  is  more  acute  toward 
the  snout,  while  the  spots  on  his  skin  are  smaller  and 
more  closely  set. 

The  panther  is  by  far  the  bolder  and  more  san- 
guinary of  the  two ;  he  frequents  the  mountain  passes, 
waylaying  stray  animals  and  solitary  travellers ;  and 
there  are  many  cases  on  record  in  which  he  has  dis- 
played his  bloodthirsty  propensities  by  boldly  seeking 
food  even  in  the  very  haunj;s  of  man. 

Some  of  the  mountain  districts  of  Yenezuela  are 
so  infested  with  them,  that  few  travellers  ever  ven- 
ture to  journey  alone  there  ;  as,  for  instance,  the  mon- 
tana  de  Capaya,  east  of  Caracas,  and  the  Cerro  de 
Aroa  to  the  west,  both  famed  for  the  number  and 
boldness  of  these  animals.  Under  cover  of  the  dense 
forests  with  which  those  mountains  are  clothed  to  the 
very  summit,  they  lie  in  wait.  ITot  long  since,  a 
traveller  from  the  village  of  Aroa,  finding  the  dis- 
tance greater  than  he  had  anticipated,  was  compelled 
to  pass  the  night  in  the  forest.  Fearing  the  panthers, 
he  slung  his  hammock  between  two  palm  trees  as 
high  as  possible  from  the  ground,  hoping  doubtless 
thereby  to  escape  them,  but  his  precautions  proved 
of  no  avail ;  the  poor  traveller  fell  a  prey  to  one  of 
these  sanguinary  beasts.  A  few  days  after,  a  party 
of  muleteers  passing  along  the  same  route,  found  on 
the  spot  where  the  sad  tragedy  had  been  enacted, 
evidence    of    the    bloody    assault.      Deep    furrows 


TIGER  STORIES.  235 

ploughed  in  the  ground  between  tlie  palm  trees, 
showed  that  the  panther  must  have  made  frequent 
and  tremendous  leaps  to  reach  the  unfortunate  travel- 
ler ;  but  with  the  exception  of  the  torn  hammock, 
there  remained  no  vestige  of  the  victim. 

My  first  vacation  trip  from  the  terrors  of  a  South 
American  school  and  the  angry  visage  of  a  harsh  pre- 
ceptor, is  still  fresh  in  my  mind,  as  is  also  the  fright 
I  received  upon  the  road  from  an  imaginary  panther 
while  endeavoring  to  reach  before  daylight  the  near- 
est inn  upon  the  route. 

The  road  from  the  capital  to  the  Yalleys  of  Ara- 
gua — our  destination — ^lies  for  the  most  part  over  a 
high  ridge  of  mountains  with  precipitous  sides,  inter- 
spersed here  and  there  with  deep  ravines  and  almost 
impenetrable  thickets  of  forest  trees,  fit  lurking-places 
for  wild  beasts  and  banditti.  The  extreme  steepness 
of  the  road  renders  the  aid  of  mules,  or  horses  of  su- 
perior mettle,  imperative,  and  for  this  exigency  our 
attentive  guides  had  well  provided  before  leaving 
Caracas. 

The  party  was  principally  composed  of  young  gen- 
tlemen and  their  attendants,  all  like  myself  bound  to 
the  fertile  regions  of  Aragua,  where  we  purposed  pass- 
ing the  holidays  with  our  families  ;  and  a  wilder  set 
of  madcaps  it  would  have  been  diflScult  to  find. 
Every  moment  witnessed  a  malicious  trick,  some- 
times tickling  the  mules  under  the  cruppers  with 
whips,  until,  worried  into  frenzy,  they  plunged  fear- 
fully along  the  road,  placing  us  in  danger  of  being 
hurled  into  eternity  through  the  yawning  chasms  be- 


WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

neatli.  Sometimes  jerking  the  tail  of  a  neighbor's 
mule,  causing  the  animal  to  whirl  so  violently  as  to 
almost  destroy  its  balance.  Occasionally  some  of  the 
party  might  be  seen  scrambling  up  the  rugged  side 
of  a  mountain  after  bright  colored  insects  or  wild 
berries.  At  length,  the  steepness  of  the  ascent  no 
longer  permitting  the  continuance  of  our  pranks,  the 
guides  entertained  us  with  frightful  stories  of  a  tiger 
said  to  lurk  in  these  mountains  ;  but  chiefly  with  ac- 
counts of  horrid  murders  perpetrated  at  various  points 
along  our  route,  which,  judging  from  the  many  crosses 
and  stone  mounds  raised  to  the  victims  by  the  piety 
of  wayfarers,  must  have  been  truly  appalling  in  num- 
ber. In  those  parts  it  is  customary  to  mark  the  spot 
where  a  crime  of  the  kind  has  been  committed,  with 
a  wooden  cross,  at  whose  foot  every  passer-by  casts 
a  stone,  muttering  at  the  same  time  a  prayer  for  the 
repose  of  the  unshriven  soul.  One  of  these  memorials 
was  erected  to  a  poor  fellow,  whose  throat  had  been 
cut  and  body  frightfully  mutilated  for  a  new  poncho 
and  a  few  reals.  At  another,  a  tiger  had  seized  a 
wearied  poultry  carrier  imprudently  asleep  by  the 
side  of  his  coop,  and  devoured  him  and  his  chickens. 
In  another  instance,  the  tiger  appeared  suddenly 
among  a  group  of  muleteers  quietly  refreshing  them- 
selves by  the  murmuring  waters  of  a  mountain  stream, 
and  after  scattering  the  affrighted  group,  helped  him- 
self to  their  repast. 

These  stories,  told  with  great  vivacity  and  much 
embellishment,  excited  in  a  high  degree  the  fervid 
imaginations  of  the  youtliful  cavalcade,  causing  them 
as  night  approached  to  keep  close  together.  They, 
however,  did  not  deter  me,  who  had  ever  a  peculiar 


TIGER  STORIES.  237 

fondness  for  the  beautiful  in  nature,  from  loitering 
somewhat  in  the  rear  of  mj  companion  to  gaze  in 
wondering  admiration  upon  the  grandeur  and  wild 
luxuriance  of  the  scene  which  on  all  sides  met  my 
eyes.  Absorbed  in  contemplation  I  was  riding  slowly 
along,  when  suddenly,  and  to  my  great  horror  and 
dismay,  I  found  myself  in  presence  of,  apparently,  the 
dreaded  tiger  of  the  mountains.  My  imagination, 
roused  by  the  exciting  stories  of  the  muleteers,  showed 
me  the  spotted  bnite  seated  upon  his  haunches,  his 
sinister  eyes  gazing  steadily  at  me  over  his  right 
shoulder.  ^Notwithstanding  this  pacific  attitude,  a 
thrill  of  terror  chilled  my  veins,  while  in  spite  of  the 
cold  prevailing  on  those  mountain  ranges,  heavy 
drops  of  perspiration  streamed  from  my  trembling 
body.  The  tiger  seeming  spell-bound  with  my  sud- 
den apparition,  I  endeavored  to  cry  aloud  for  help  ; 
but  terror  had  deprived  me  of  voice.  I  then  con- 
cluded to  dismount  and  place  the  mule  between 
myself  and  the  tiger,  which  impulse  was  suddenly 
checked  as  I  caught  sight  of  the  yawning  precipice 
beside  me.  I  had  therefore  no  alternative,  other 
than  the  ignominious  one  of  sliding  down  in  the  rear 
of  my  mule,  a  feat  I  rapidly  accomplished  without  in 
the  least  inconveniencing  the  patient  creature,  which 
all  the  while  stood  quietly  awaiting  my  pleasure.  At 
this  moment  the  moon,  until  then  partially  obscured 
by  the  dense  fog,  shone  brilliantly  upon  the  scene, 
when,  to  my  great  mortification  and  greater  relief,  I 
discovered  that  the  ferocious  tiger  of  my  imagination 
was  only  the  fallen  branch  of  a  tree  covered  with 
leaves,  which  last  my  fertile  fancy  had  mistaken  for 
the  spotted  skin  of  the  dreaded  mountain  ti^er. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

SHOOTING    ADVENTTJEES. 

"We  were  now  in  the  very  midst  of  the  most  splen- 
did shooting  ground  of  the  republic,  and  each  day 
my  quest  after  the  feathered  inhabitants  of  those  fine 
groves  was  rewarded  with  an  abundant  supply  of 
pavas^  guacharacas^  and  that  most  noble  and  beauti- 
ful of  all  game  birds,  the  pavji  or  crested  curassow 
of  South  America,  (Crax  alector,)  This  fine  species 
is  found  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  especially  in  the 
woods  of  the  tierra  caliente,  where  it  can  be  tracked 
without  difiiculty  by  the  shrill  and  prolonged  whistle 
with  which  it  calls  its  mate,  and  which  can  be  heard 
from  a  long  distance.  It  appears  not  to  notice  the 
presence  of  the  hunter,  allowing  itself  to  be  shot 
down  without  making  the  least  efi'ort  to  avoid  the 
danger.  This  bird  is  nearly  the  same  size  as  the  do- 
mestic turkey,  and  being  easily  domesticated,  could 
very  well  supply  the  place  of  that  fowl,  as  the  flesh  is 
juicy  and  of  exquisite  flavor.  Its  plumage  is  pecu- 
liarly rich  and  beautiful,  the  head  and  neck  being 
white  and  the  rest  of  its  body  of  a  rich  olive  brown, 
excepting  the  wing  tips  which  are  black.    An  elegant 


SHOOTING   ADVENTURES.  239 

tuft  of  curled,  glossy  black  feathers  surmounts  tlie 
head,  adding  greatly  to  the  splendor  of  its  appear- 
ance. In  the  more  elevated  parts  of  the  country 
there  is  another  species,  the  fauji  de  fiedra  or 
cashew-bird,  so  called  from  a  singular  excrescence  on 
the  top  of  its  head,  in  color  a  bluish  gray,  and  bear- 
ing some  resemblance  to  a  polished  nodule  of  slate. 
This  bird  only  inhabits  woods  growing  at  about  four 
thousand  feet  of  elevation,  and  if  possible  exceeds  in 
beauty  the  preceding.  Its  plumage  of  a  deep  black, 
with  tints  of  olive  green,  contrasts  exquisitely  with 
that  of  the  bill  and  legs,  which  are  respectively  of  a 
brilliant  scarlet  and  deep  yellow.  They  are  even 
more  easily  domesticated  than  the  preceding,  and  are 
therefore  to  be  met  with  in  many  a  farm  yard  of  tjie 
Cordillera,  where  they  form  one  of.  its  most  graceful 
ornaments. 

The  guacharaca  or  South  American  pheasant  may 
also  be  classed  among  the  finest  game  birds  of  Yenez- 
uela,  and  is  extremely  abundant  everywhere.  In  riding 
along  the  solitary  roads  through  the  plains  and  fertile 
vales  of  the  tierra  caliente^  the  traveller  may  have 
often  noticed  at  all  hours  of  the  day  and  even  of  the 
night,  more  especially  at  the  approach  of  rain,  a  most 
discordant  chattering  in  harsh  and  shrill  notes  ;  it  is 
the  song  of  the  guacharaca^  a  bird  of  about  the  size 
of  the  domestic  hen,  bearing  some  resemblance  to  the 
female  pheasant,  and  like  it  of  a  chocolate  color.  It 
is  of  a  sociable  nature,  always  congregating  in  flocks 
of  twenty  or  thirty.  The  moment  one  of  the  number 
leads  the  chant,  all  the  rest  join  in  chorus,  uttering 
distinctly  in  hoarse  repetition  guacharaca,  guachor 


240  ^ILD   SCENES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

raca  *  hence  the  name  of  this  bird.  These  cries  are 
invariably  responded  to  by  all  the  flocks  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, so  that  in  a  short  time  the  whole  valley 
rings  from  end  to  end  with  their  discordant  voices. 
Like  all  other  gallinaceous  birds,  it  is  very  easily  do- 
mesticated with  the  paujies^  pavas^  gallinetas,  and 
several  other  wild  fowl  with  which  the  rural  inhabi- 
tant loves  to  stock  his  yard. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  there  are  also  in  the 
Llanos  all  kinds  of  wild  pigeons,  doves,  plovers,  and 
quails,  the  latter  so  abundant  that  they  can  easily  be 
killed  by  the  hundred  with  a  stick.  And  indeed,  so 
great  is  the  almost  endless  variety  of  fine  birds  in 
these  wilds,  that  it  would  be  impossible,  within  the 
limits  of  these  pages,  to  enter  into  further  detail  con- 
cerning them. 

Deer  were  also  very  plentiful,  both  in  the  mata^ 
whither  they  were  attracted  by  its  refreshing  shade, 
and  in  the  meadows  around  it ;  but  having  no  dogs 
with  us,  and  being  unwilling  to  tire  our  horses  in  un- 
profitable sport,  we  refrained  from  their  pursuit.  One 
afternoon,  however,  much  to  my  surprise,  a  merry, 
clever  fellow  by  the  name  of  Casimiro,  who  had  fol- 
lowed us  from  the  valleys,  entered  the  camp  bending 
under  the  weight  of  a  fine  doe  which  he  had  killed 
that  afternoon,  together  with  a  buck  that  an  Indian 
boy  was  carrying  for  him.  On  our  complimenting 
his  extraordinary  skill  in  killing  two  deer  in  so  short 
a  space  of  time,  he  informed  us  that  he  could  have 
brought  down  any  number  of  them,  and  intended 
retracing  his  steps  at  once  for  more.  Tliis  proved  no 
mere  boast,  for  quickly  returning  to  the  woods,  he 


SHOOTING   ADVENTURES.  241 

soon  after  again  made  his  appearance  with  a  similar 
load,  which,  seating  himself  by  the  fire,  he  at  once 
commenced  skinning. 

I  inquired  of  Casimiro  the  occasion  of  his  success ; 
he  replied  by  producing  a  tube  of  bamboo  about  the 
thickness  of  the  thumb,  one  end  being  covered  with 
a  thin  membrane.  On  blowing  through  the  other 
end,  a  sound  precisely  resembling  the  bleating  of  a 
young  fawn  resulted.  It  is  in  this  manner  that  the 
treacherous  hunter  decoys  the  anxious  doe,  whose 
every  motion  he  watches  from  the  place  of  his  con- 
cealment behind  the  branches  of  some  tree,  usually 
the  algarrobo,  of  whose  pods  deer  are  very  fond. 
This  detestable  expedient  is,  I  am  glad  to  state,  rarely 
practised  unless  by  hungry  sportsmen ;  and  as  we 
were  then  in  the  midst  of  plenty,  and  venison  besides 
not  being  much  relished  by  the  beef-eating  popula- 
tion of  the  Llanos,  we  had  fortunately  no  occasion  to 
resort  to  it  in  any  of  our  subsequent  deer-shooting 
adventures. 

Another  device  much  practised  by  Indians  in 
these  cases,  consists  in  assuming  the  guise  of  the 
great  garzon  or  soldier  crane  of  the  pampas,  whose 
company  appears  always  welcome  to  deer  grazing  in 
the  open  prairie.  Tliis  crane,  which  I  have  mentioned 
in  a  former  chapter,  as  being  at  the  least  five  feet  in 
height,  is  mounted  upon  a  pair  of  long  slender  legs, 
giving  it  the  appearance  of  walking  on  stilts ;  their 
plumage  is  a  dazzling  white,  and  they  have  a  pouch 
under  the  throat  of  a  brilliant  scarlet  color.  The 
bill,  too,  is  quite  a  remarkable  feature,  fully  a  foot 
11 


242  ^^^^   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

loDg  and  very  wide  at  the  base,  which  permits  of 
swallowing  at  a  mouthful  large  fish,  as  well  as  frogs, 
toads  and  snakes,  of  which  last  it  partakes  with  equal 
relish.  All  that  the  hunter  has  to  do,  who  intends 
ensnaring  his  deer  with  borrowed  plumes,  is  to  hide 
his  own  face  with  a  mask,  which  must  have  a  long 
bill  resembling  that  of  the  crane  attached  to  it.  The 
mask  being  securely  fastened  on,  he  finishes  his  toilet 
by  covering  his  body  to  his  knees  with  a  white  gar- 
ment. 


In  this  simple  disguise  the  hunter,  equipped  be- 
sides with  his  gun  or  bow  and  arrows,  makes  straight 
for  the  game,  careful  however  to  approach  it  in  a 
contrary  direction  to  that  of  the  wind,  deer  possessing 
peculiarly  acute  powers  of  scent.  On  one  occasion, 
I  was  fortunate  enough  to  shoot  three  of  these  shy 
animals  out  of  a  small  herd,  before  the  rest  took  the 
alarm. 


SHOOTING   ADVENTURES.  243 

Our  young  attache^  Roseliano,  who  had  witnessed 
the  universal  success  of  these  devices,  envying  the 
achievements  of  his  elders,  determined  to  try  what  he 
could  accomplish  for  himself  in  this  line.  Accord- 
ingly, choosing  for  his  intended  victim  a  fine  stag 
grazing  at  no  great  distance  from  the  camp,  he  forth- 
with proceeded  on  his  experiment.  Having  no  gar- 
zovbS  beak  at  hand,  nor  even  a  white  garment,  with 
which  to  personate  the  feathered  dandy  of  the  savan- 
nas, he  was  for  some  time  at  a  loss  how  to  approach 
the  game  without  alarming  it,  when  a  malicious  com- 
panion persuaded  him  that  he  could  ensnare  the  deer 
equally  well  if  he  presented  himself  simply  in  puris 
naturalihus^  assuring  him  that  the  animal  would  in- 
dubitably conceive  him  to  be  a  rare  bird  or  at  least 
a  new  species  of  garzon.  Roseliano,  finally  convinced 
by  these  specious  representations,  quickly  denuded 
himself;  then,  gun  in  hand,  and  taking  all  necessary 
precautions  in  regard  to  the  wind,  which  was  blowing 
quite  fresh  at  the  time,  immediately  gave  chase. 

At  first  the  stag  appeared  to  pay  little  heed  to  the 
enticing  object,  and  allowed  it  to  approach  within 
range ;  but  the  moment  the  gun  was  raised,  the  stag 
turned  round  and  trotted  slowly  ofif,  waving  his  short 
tail  defiantly.  Sometimes  he  stopped  for  a  little  while, 
seeming  to  examine  from  head  to  foot  this  unfeathered 
biped,  afterward  resuming  his  mastications  with  per- 
fect nonchalance.  At  such  times  Roseliano,  with 
due  precautions,  would  creep  slowly  toward  him, 
when  invariably  the  deer,  almost  within  range,  again 
trotted  composedly  down  the  plain,  not  even  giving 
his  pursuer  a  chance  to  aim  at  him.     Occasionally  he 


244  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

would  turn  about,  stamp  his  tiny  hoof  upon  the  hard 
ground,  and  again  move  otf  wagging  his  little  tail  at 
him  as  though  to  say,  "  No,  you  don't." 

Thus  went  each,  still  eluding  still  pursuing,  for  a 
long  distance,  without  either  seeming  at  all  willing  to 
part  company,  until  the  burning  sun  began  to  tell 
upon  the  bare  skin  of  the  young  hunter,  who  expe- 
rienced besides  sundry  painful  reminders  from  the 
thorny  sensitive  plants  under  foot.  At  length  grow- 
ing somewhat  desperate,  he  dashed  ahead  and  sent  a 
random  shot  after  the  deer  without  success,  the  ball 
striking  the  ground  far  short  of  the  mark.  The  deer 
seemed  now  to  think  he  had  received  notice  to  quit, 
for,  to  the  great  disgust  of  poor  Roseliano,  he  at  once 
bounded  gracefully  over  the  tall  grass  and  disap- 
peared from  view. 

Within  a  stone's  throw  of  our  camp  were  several 
lagoons  abounding  in  terrapins  and  turtles,  whilst  on 
all  sides  the  savannas  teemed  with  many  delicious 
quadrupeds.  These,  on  account  of  their  penchant 
for  the  water,  have  been  declared  cold-blooded  an- 
imals by  the  church,  and  can  in  consequence  be 
eaten  as  fish ;  and  as  it  was  Holy  "Week,  a  grand 
hunt  was  proposed  for  the  purpose  of  providing  the 
camp  with  food  which  should  be  wholesome  as  well 
for  the  soul  as  the  body.  Accordingly,  early  on  Good 
Friday  morning  the  whole  disposable  force  assembled 
in  front  of  the  ranch  ;  and  after  a  partial  organization, 
all  started  on  foot  in  different  directions,  some  in 
quest  of  cachicamos  or  armadillos,  others  for  gala- 
pagos  and  tortoises,  while  the  less  fastidious  did  not 
disdain  to  try  their  skill  upon  those  water  hogs,  the 
chigiiires  or  eapyvaras. 


SHOOTING   ADVENTURES.  245 

Tlie  results  of  the  hunt  far  exceeded  our  expecta- 
tion, as  in  less  than  four  hours  nearly  three  hundred 
armadillos,  and  probably  as  many  turtles,  were 
brought  into  camp.  The  flesh  of  the  chigiiire  is  not 
much  relished  by  the  Llaneros,  although  it  is  excel- 
lent for  hams  when  properly  cured  and  smoked ; 
accordingly  the  carcasses,  tlie  hind  quarters  being 
removed,  were  left  to  the  turkey  buzzards. 

The  flesh  of  the  armadillo  is  most  delicious,  tast- 
ing very  much  like  young  pig ;  and  being  always 
roasted  in  the  shell  —  a  thick 
cuirass  formed  of  successive 
horny  plates — all  its  juices  are 
effectually  preserved.  It  is, 
however,  very  rich  eating,  from 
the  excess  of  fatness,  and  there- 
fore liable  to  produce  indiges- 
tion, if  not  followed  by  a  good 
dose  of  aguardiente  and  a  strong 

sauce  of  Chili  peppers.  It  is  also  said  to  exert  very 
injurious  eff*ects  on  persons  predisposed  to  syphilitic 
disorders  of  the  system,  developing  incipient  ulcers 
and  various  other  cutaneous  diseases. 

The  armadillo  is  a  harmless,  curiously-formed 
little  quadruped,  about  the  size  of  a  common  hedge- 
hog ;  it  burrows  in  the  ground,  spending  the  greater 
part  of  the  day  in  cool  retirement,  issuing  at  dusk  or 
very  early  in  the  morning  in  search  of  food  ;  this  con- 
sists principally  of  worms,  the  larvae  of  insects  or  per- 
chance a  young  snake  from  the  broods  that  take  shel- 
ter among  the  cells  of  its  subterranean  abode — whether 
by  permission  or  as  intruders,  remains  to  be  ascer- 


24:6  WILD    SCENES  IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

tained.  The  fact  is,  however,  that  many  of  these  bur- 
rows are  so  full  of  snakes,  that  it  is  necessary  on  ac- 
count of  them  to  exercise  considerable  caution  w^hen 
passing  near  the  abodes  of  armadillos.  Two  little 
owls  called  aguaita-caminos^  road-watchers,  usually 
stand  like  sentinels  at  the  entrance  of  these  burrows, 
and  by  their  constant  flutterings  around  the  sports- 
man, and  their  uncouth  motions,  almost  invariably 
succeed  in  warning  the  armadillo.  Nevertheless,  if 
the  hunter  approach  in  front,  he  can  always  secure  it 
with  his  hands  as  its  vision  in  that  direction  is  entirely 
obscured  by  the  position  of  the  plates  with  which  the 
head  is  covered.  When  attacked  from  the  rear  or 
sides,  it  makes  quickly  for  its  burrow ;  but  if  the 
hunter,  however,  be  sufficiently  expert,  he  may  suc- 
ceed in  getting  hold  of  the  long,  horny  tail  of  the  an- 
imal before  it  disappears  entirely  from  view.  Even 
then,  as  this  creature  possesses  the  power  of  swelling 
its  body  when  thus  attacked,  it-  is  rather  difficult  to 
drag  it  out,  unless  by  some  means  the  size  of  the  bur- 
row can  be  enlarged.  There  is  then  danger  of  severe 
wounds  from  its  sharp  claws,  as  well  as  of  being  bitten 
by  some  of  the  poisonous  snakes  which  share  its 
home. 

What  affinity  there  is  existing  between  this 
quadruped  and  the  finny  inhabitants  of  the  water, 
prompting  their  classification  among  amphibia,  I  was 
unable  to  ascertain  ;  but  although  the  capyvara  and 
several  others  placed  by  the  church  under  that  cate- 
gory, possess,  it  is  true,  great  powers  of  resistance 
while  in  water,  the  reverse  is  assuredly  the  case  with 
regard  to  the  armadillo,  which  always  seeks  the  higher 


SHOOTING   ADVENTURES.  247 

grounds  so  as  to  escape  submersion  during  the  great 
floods  ;  and  I  have  often  found  it  in  the  midst  of  ex- 
tensive plains  where  no  moisture  excepting  the  dews 
of  night  is  to  be  seen  for  miles  around. 

When  all  the  different  parties,  participants  in  the 
hunting  excursion,  were  once  more  seated  round  the 
camp  fires,  it  was  quite  amusing  to  hear  their  ac- 
counts of  the  various  incidents  connected  with  it; 
one  had  got  hold  of  a  rattlesnake's  tail,  mistaking  it 
for  that  of  an  armadillo  ;  another  had  stumbled  over 
a  crocodile  while  diving  for  turtles  in  a  shallow  creek ; 
a  third  had  his  toe  bitten  off  by  caribes  ;  while  not  a 
few  experienced  more  or  less  severe  shocks  from  elec- 
tric eels.  In  front  of  many  of  the  fires,  soon  blazing 
under  the  trees,  were  arrayed  on  long  wooded  spits 
entire  carcasses  of  the  armadillos  split  along  the  belly 
and  kept  open  by  means  of  cross  bars  of  green  boughs. 
Directly  the  coals  were  sufiiciently  hot  in  the  ceijtre 
of  the  fires,  the  galapagos  were  all  beheaded  and 
thrown,  still  alive,  into  the  midst  of  the  burning  em- 
bers. Tliese  cheloni a,  like  all  other  amphibia,  are  ex- 
ceedingly tenacious  of  life  ;  their  sufferings,  therefore, 
must  doubtless  be  great  under  this  lingering  death,  as 
was  manifested  by  their  long-continued  struggles  in 
the  fire. 

The  Llaneros  say  that  these  turtles,  according  to 
their  most  exquisite  gastronomers,  should  be  eaten 
where  there  is  no  light,  asserting  that  they  will  then 
be  found  more  rich  and  juicy  ;  but  the  actual  reason 
for  this,  as  I  afterward  ascertained  to  my  great  dis- 
gust, was  that  some  of  the  choicest  morsels  are  pre- 


248  WiLD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

cisely  those  which  to  be  eaten  must  not  be  seen, 
as  otherwise  they  would  unliesitatingly  be  rejected. 

There  are  several  varieties  of  fresh  water  tortoises 
in  the  Apure,  an  abundant  and  wholesome  food  for 
the  inhabitants.  The  most  common  are  the  galajpagos^ 
a  large  species  of  terrapin,  the  terecay  and  the  arrau 
or  great  turtle  of  the  Orinoco,  concerning  which  the 
celebrated  Father  Gumilla  wrote  in  his  "  Orinoco  II- 
lustrata,"  that  "  it  would  be  as  difficult  to  count  the 
grains  of  sand  on  the  shores  of  the  Orinoco,  as  to 
count  the  immense  number  of  tortoises  which  inhabit 
its  margin  and  water.  Were  it  not  for  the  vast  con- 
sumption of  tortoises  and  their  eggs,  the  river  Orinoco, 
despite  its  great  magnitude,  would  be  unnavigable, 
for  vessels  would  be  impeded  by  the  enormous  multi- 
tude of  tortoises." 

"Without  presuming  to  question  the  emphatic  as- 
sertion of  this  reverend  father  of  the  long  beard  and 
gown,  never  having  visited  the  shores  of  the  Orinoco, 
I  will  venture  to  assert  of  the  galapagos  that  they 
alone  could  furnish  man  in  the  plains  of  Apure  for 
ages  with  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  food,  even  were 
all  other  sources  cut  off.  To  convey  an  idea  of  the 
prodigious  abundance  of  this  species,  it  may  suffice  to 
say  that  by  merely  driving  a  herd  of  wild  cattle  or 
horses  at  full  speed  into  any  pond  of  these  savannas, 
the  first  wave  produced  by  the  sudden  splash  will 
heave  up  thousands  of  turtles  upon  the  beach. 
Another  method  resorted  to  in  the  Llanos  for  obtain- 
ing them,  is  by  raking  in  the  soft  mud  in  which  these 
chelonia  habitually  bury  themselves  the  moment  they 
are  alarmed.     After  this  mud  becomes  thoroughly 


SHOOTING   ADVENTURES.  249 

dried  by  tlie  summer's  heat,  they  remain  under  its 
indurated  crust  in  a  dormant  state  until  the  com- 
mencement of  the  rainy  season.  Yet  even  here  the 
poor  creatures  are  insecure,  as  they  are  not  unfre- 
quently  roused  from  their  siesta  by  the  hunter  setting 
fire  to  the  dry  water  plants,  the  ornaments  of  these 
natural  ponds ;  at  such  times  breaking  through  the 
earth  crust  which  environs  them,  they  in  vain  en- 
deavor to  escape  their  tormentors,  who  can  then  pick 
them  up  at  their  leisure. 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing,  there  are  two  other 
varieties  of  tortoises  found  amidst  the  marshes  and 
jungles  of  the  Llanos  ;  they  are  the  inorrocoy  or  land 
tortoise,  having  a  hard  and  rounded  shell,  and  the 
jicotea^  an  animal  which  appears  to  form  the  con- 
necting link  between  turtles  proper  and  tortoises ; 
both  are  of  excellent  flavor,  more  especially  the  for- 
mer, whose  liver,  dressed  and  fried  in  its  own  gall,  is 
undoubtedly  superior  to  that  most  prized  of  all  epi- 
curean morsels,  foie  gras.  It  is  very  large  as  com- 
pared with  the  size  of  the  animal,  decreasing  however 
very  materially  if  its  owner  has  had  a  long  fast,  which, 
as  this  reptile,  like  all  others  of  the  class,  can  and  does 
frequently  live  a  long  time  without  food,  has  doubt- 
less occasioned  the  popular  error  that  it  feeds  on  its 
own  liver  w^hen  long  deprived  of  other  nourishment. 

During  the  season  of  great  droughts,  the  morrocoy 
seeks  the  hollow  trunks  of  trees  for  shelter,  where  it 
lives  entirely  without  nourishment  for  several  months, 
until,  feeling  the  dampness  produced  by  the  first 
showers  of  spring  penetrating  his  subterranean  abode, 
he  moves  slowly  out  to  browse  upon  the  tender  shoots 
11* 


250  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH    AMERICA. 

of  water  plants  and  prairie  lilies.  Tlie  shell  of  this 
tortoise  is  so  hard  that  nothing  short  of  heavy  blows 
from  an  axe  can  separate  the  thick  plates  of  which  it 
is  formed,  and  a  locomotive  engine  might  pass  over  it 
withont  producing  the  least  effect  upon  its  unimpres- 
sible  tenant.  Long  after  the  carcass  has  been  cut  up 
for  cooking,  and  is  in  water  boiling  over  the  .fire,  the 
pieces  are  incessantly  in  motion,  and  it  is  not  until 
the  boiling  has  been  continued  many  successive  hours, 
that  the  meat  is  fit  for  eating. 

The  land  tortoise  does  not  deposit  its  eggs  in  the 
sand,  as  is  the  practice  with  its  congener  of  the  water, 
but  drops  them  indiscriminately  into  any  convenient 
hole,  leaving  the  care  of  hatching  them  to  the  heat  of 
the  earth.  The  egg,  which  is  larger  than  a  hen's,  is 
extremely  white,  spherical  in  form,  and  very  hard. 
The  male  is  readily  distinguished  from  the  female  by 
a  deep  depression  of  its  pectoral  plate,  that  of  the 
female  being  perfectly  even  with  the  ground. 

I  have  been  assured  by  reliable  parties  that  the 
blood  of  the  morrocoy  is  a  specific  for  neuralgia,  if 
rubbed,  while  still  warm,  upon  the  part  affected. 


CHAPTER  XVm. 

MATA       TOTUMO. 

Little  was  accomplished  in  the  way  of  hunting 
during  the  two  weeks  we  passed  at  Mata  Gorda,  oc- 
cupying ourselves  mainly  in  building  a  ranch  for  the 
establishment  of  a  caporal  and  his  family,  with  cor- 
rals attached,  sufficiently  spacious  to  accommodate  a 
large  drove.  Other  parts  of  the  estate  requiring  im- 
mediate attention,  we  removed  from  Mata  Gorda  to 
Mata  Totumo,  a  retired  corner  of  the  savannas,  whose 
proximity  to  other  cattle  farms  exposed  it  to  the  con- 
stant depredations  of  poachers.  In  this  way  vast 
numbers  of  our  cattle  were  annually  lost  to  us ;  it 
had  accordingly  become  necessary  to  establish  there 
also  a  Fundacion,  or  small  farm  with  a  resident  capo- 
ral, who  should  exercise  a  strict  surveillance  and  take 
charge  of  a  small  herd  of  tame  cattle  as  a  nucleus  for  a 
permanent  settlement  in  that  exposed  frontier. 

Hardly  were  we  established  in  the  new  encamp- 
ment, when  a  party  of  our  men  in  scouring  the  sa- 
vanna encountered  a  band  of  these  cattle  poachers, 
who  had  already  collected  a  sufficient  drove  to  make 


252  WILD   SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

them  comfortable  to  tlie  year's  end,  and  were  hasten- 
ing home  with  their  unlawful  booty.  Our  people 
immediately  gave  chase,  but  succeeded  in  capturing 
two  only  of  the  robbers.  After  whipping  these  most 
unmercifully,  as  is  customary  in  the  Llanos  for  similar 
offences,  and  giving  them  in  addition  the  positive  as- 
surance that,  if  again  found  within  the  precincts  of 
the  estate,  they  would  fare  even  worse,  the  rascals 
were  at  length  allowed  to  depart  without  further 
punishment. 

As  usual  in  all  our  prairie  encampments,  much 
time  was  occupied  in  destroying  baneful  weeds  and 
reptiles.  Snakes  especially  were  so  plentiful  as  to  at 
times  greatly  endanger  our  barefooted  community. 
That  habit  is  second  nature,  was  certainly  strikingly 
exemplified  in  the  present  instance,  for  in  a  few  days 
we  came  to  notice  the  heretofore  dreaded  snakes  as 
little  as  though  so  many  harmless  earthworms.  Our 
fears,  if  not  their  cause,  being  at  length  entirely  re- 
moved, we  next  erected  a  shelter  from  the  inclemency 
of  the  weather  for  our  abundant  luggage,  no  small 
cause  of  anxiety,  situated  as  we  were  at  a  long  dis- 
tance from  the  source  of  any  fresh  supplies.  After- 
wards we  commenced  raising  corrals  for  our  increas- 
ing herds.  Fortunately  building  materials  were  very 
abundant ;  and  the  bamboo,  that  graceful  represen- 
tative of  the  grasses,  was  of  the  greatest  utility.  Its 
tall  and  pliant  stems  afforded  all  that  was  necessary 
for  rafters  and  fence  rails,  serving  also  various  other 
uses.  To  duly  estimate  the  size  attained  by  this  giant 
grass  of  the  tropics,  it  is  necessary  to  understand  that 
some  stems  reach   the  astonishing  height  of  thirty 


MATA  TOTUMO.  253 

or  even  forty  feet,  with  a  corresponding  thickness 
of  six  or  seven  inches  at  their  base ;  and  as  these 
bamboos  spring  in  immense  clusters  from  the  ground, 
they  grow  at  last  into  an  aspect  which  is  truly  beau- 
tiful. Innumerable  slender  leaves  of  a  delicate  sea 
green  color,  clothe  in  masses  the  tops  of  these  huge 
stems,  curving  them  downward  by  their  weight,  and 
giving  them,  especially  when  sporting  with  the  soft 
breezes  of  the  pampas,  the  appearance  of  waving 
plumes  of  most  magnificent  proportions,  rising,  bend- 
ing, swaying  in  long,  graceful  sweeps  over  the  tops 
of  the  surrounding  trees.  An  elegant  writer,  describ- 
ing this  majestic  Queen  of  the  Grasses,  has  beauti- 
fully said,  "  Grace,  delicacy,  richness  of  form  and 
color,  every  element  of  vegetable  beauty,  appear  com- 
bined in  this  luxuriant  dweller  by  the  streams  of  the 
tropics.  Nothing  is  more  cheerful  to  the  eye  of  the 
heated  arid  wearied  traveller,  than  the  deep  rocky 
basins  formed  by  mountain  streams  when  filled  with 
water,  and  overshadowed  by  clumps  of  bamboo. 
They  often  lean  over  the  stream  on  one  side  and  arch 
the  pathway  on  the  other,  excluding  almost  every 
ray  of  sunlight  from  the  cool  recesses  below.  Their 
delicate  brittle  leaves  are  stirred  by  the  tiniest  zephyr, 
and  bend  to  the  pressure  of  the  butterfly  and  the  bee. 
Sometimes  clumps  of  bamboo  stand  on  either  side  of  the 
roads  and  form  long  vaulted  passages,  as  if  by  fretted 
Gothic  arches,  with  here  and  there  branches  of  rich 
flowers  and  leaves  hanging  down  like  beautiful  cor- 
bels. When  the  gale  of  the  hurricane  comes,  these 
groves  of  bamboo  exchange  an  aspect  of  beauty  for 
that  of  grandeur.     They  are  heaved  and  tossed  like 


254:  WILD    SCENES   IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

the  billows  of  the  sea,  and  their  rich  foliage  driven  in 
every  direction  appears  like  surges  breaking  on  the 
rocks." 

'^o  sooner  was  the  majada  in  readiness,  than  we 
commenced  the  somewhat  laborious,  but  at  the  same 
time  pleasingly  exciting  business  of  filling  it,  for 
which  purpose  we  called  upon  the  neighboring  cattle 
farms  of  La  Yagua  and  Caucagua  for  assistance.  So 
effectual  were  our  efforts,  that  in  a  few  days  we  had 
collected  two  thousand  animals  for  the  brand,  most 
of  which,  having  long  passed  the  age  when  this  oper- 
ation is  usually  performed,  gave  us  in  consequence  a 
great  deal  of  trouble.  Occasionally,  by  way  of  relax- 
ation from  our  labors,  we  busied  ourselves  in  training 
the  boys  in  the  manly  art  of  torear,  or  the  scarcely 
less  dangerous  one  of  breaking  in  wild  horses,  on 
which  especially  the  hardy  dwellers  of  the.  Llanos 
eminently  pride  themselves.  During  our  sojourn  at 
Mata  Totumo,  its  owner  became  concerned  in  an  in- 
cident highly  illustrative  of  this  peculiar  pride,  so  uni- 
versal a  trait  among  these  children  of  Nature  and  the 
Sun,  illustrative  no  less  of  the  almost  entire  freedom 
from  conventional  restraint  which  exists  between 
master  and  servant  in  the  Llanos.  Our  Leader  had 
taken  a  strong  fancy  to  a  beautiful  cream  colored 
horse,  which,  although  partially  trained  to  the  saddle, 
missed  no  opportunity  of  practising  some  of  his  old 
tricks,  a  favorite  one  beisg  apparently  to  unseat, 
whenever  possible,  his  rider.  This  amusement  he 
several  times  indulged  in  at  the  expense  of  his  master, 
and,  as  it  chanced,  always  in  presence  of  his  pet  cap- 


MATA    TOTUMO.  255 

oral,  Sarmiento,  who  invariably  gave  cai^te  hlanche 
to  liis  ovm  witticisms  od  sucli  occasions.  To  these 
the  good-humored  master  replied  one  day  by  chal- 
lenging him  to  ride  the  horse  round  the  camp  on  a 
run  without  being  thrown,  a  dollar  to  be  added  to  his 
wages  if  successful ;  if  the  reverse,  the  same  amount 
to  be  thereafter  deducted.  "  Done,"  cried  Sarmiento, 
extending  his  hand  familiarly  to  his  master ;  and 
without  more  words,  having  blindfolded  the  horse  by 
means  of  a  sliding  leather  strap  attaclied  to  the  bridle, 
called  tapaojos,  he  placed  upon  him  his  own  saddle 
and  holsters,  and  the  next  moment  was  finnly  seated 
on  his  back.  Then,  removing  the  bandage,  he  at 
once  commenced  belaboring  the  refractory  stallion 
w^ith  his  chapanv^  showering  such  powerful  blows 
upon  his  haunches,  that  the  terrified  animal  rushed 
headlong  through  the  camp,  rearing,  plunging,  and 
tearing  along  the  plain  at  a  fearful  pace.  All  in  vain 
were  the  efibrts  of  the  nigh  frantic  steed  to  shake  the 
unmerciful  Centaur  from  his  back ;  the  poor  animal 
had  to  strive  against  one  with  whom  contention  w^as 
ineffectual,  and  w^ho  finally  brought  him  back  tri- 
umphantly to  the  camp  as  submissively  meek  as  he 
had  previously  been  savage  and  refractory. 

Shortly  after  our  arrival  in  that  secluded  spot, 
came  the  Corporation  of  Mantecal,  under  w^hose  juris- 
diction we  were,  accompanied  by  many  of  the  inhabi- 
tants, to  pay  their  respects  and  personal  regards  to 
the  former  chieftain  of  the  Llanos  and  late  President 
of  the  Republic,  tendering  him  at  the  same  time  the 
hospitalities  of  the  town — a  few  straggling  huts.    It 


256  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

was  a  surprise  party,  nevertheless  we  acquitted  our- 
selves with  becoming  hospitality.  Two  fat  calves  were 
immediately  slaughtered ;  and  these,  together  with 
numbers  of  armadillos,  galapagos,  and  a  line  sow  from 
the  swamps  near  by,  formed  a  banquet  not  unworthy 
a  London  board  of  aldermen.  A  hastily  constructed 
table,  its  top  made  from  laths  of  bamboo  and  tied 
with  hejucos  or  creepers  to  four  rough  posts  set  in  the 
ground,  was  soon  raised  under  the  trees ;  the  broad 
leaves  of  the  wild  plantain  formed  the  table  cloth, 
while  the  shells  of  galapagos  served  the  double  pur- 
pose of  plates  and  dishes,  entirely  in  keeping  with  the 
rural  entertainment. 

Here,  as  well  as  at  Mata  Gorda,  game  was  most 
abundant,  and  we  could  at  all  times  count  upon  a 
ready  supply  with  which  to  vary  the  more  substan- 
tial dishes.  Deer  were  plentiful  in  the  surrounding 
woods ;  but  I  found  them,  after  killing  several,  too 
thin  at  this  season  to  be  worth  hunting,  especially  as 
the  savannas  were  teeming  with  the  finest  cattle  and 
wild  hogs ;  the  latter  are  in  good  condition  at  all 
times,  and  each  day  our  men  brought  to  camp  the 
spoils  of  one  or  more  capones  hanging  from  the  sad- 
dles. 

The  ant-bear  or  great  ant-eater,  a  stout  and  power- 
ful animal  measuring  six  feet  from  the  snout  to  the 
end  of  the  tail,  also  ranged  these  prairies ;  but  al- 
though his  flesh  is  well-flavored  and  easily  procured, 
it  is  never  used  for  food,  owing  to  his  repulsive  ap- 
pearance. "  He  is  chiefly  found  in  the  inmost  recesses 
of  the  forest,  and  seems  partial  to  the  low  and  swampy 
parts  near  creeks,  where  the  trocly-tree  grows.    Tliere 


MATA    TOTUMO. 


257 


he  goes  up  and  down  in  quest  of  ants,  of  which  there 
is  never  the  least  scarcity,  so  that  he  soon  ohtains  a 
sufficient  supply  of  food  with  very  little  trouble.  He 
cannot  travel  fast ;  man  is  superior  to  him  in  speed. 
Without  swiftness  to  enable  him  to  escape  from  his 
enemies ;  without  teeth,  the  possession  of  which  would 
assist  him  in  self-defence  ;  and  Avithout  the  power  of 
burrowing  in  the  ground,  by  which  he  might  conceal 
himself  from  his  pursuers,  he  still  is  capable  of  rang- 
ing through  these  wilds  in  perfect  safety  ;  nor  does 
he  fear  the  fatal  pressure  of  the  serpent's  fold,  or  the 
teeth  of  the  famished  jaguar.  Nature  has  formed  his 
fore-legs  wonderfully  thick,  and  strong,  and  muscular, 
and  armed  his  feet  with  three  tremendous  sharp  and 
crooked  claws.  "Whenever  he  seizes  an  animal  with 
these  formidable  weapons,  he  hugs  it  close  to  his 
body,  and  keeps  it  there  till  it  dies  through  pressure, 


'li'/tti>^,V 


258  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTU    AMERICA. 

or  tliroiigli  want  of  food.  'Nor  does  the  ant-bear  in 
the  meantime  suffer  much  from  loss  of  aliment,  as  it 
is  a  well-known  fact  that  he  can  go  longer  without 
food  than,  perhaps,  any  other  animal,  excepting  the 
land-tortoise.  His  skin  is  of  a  texture  that  perfectly 
resists  the  bite  of  a  dog ;  his  hinder  parts  are  pro- 
tected by  thick  and  shaggy  hair,  while  his  immense 
tail  is  large  enough  to  cover  his  whole  body."  * 

Numerous  also  were  the  foot-prints  of  the  jaguar  ; 
yet,  in  my  frequent  perambulations  through  the  forest, 
it  was  never  my  fortune  to  encounter  this  despot  of 
the  howling  wilderness,  although  I  one  day  mistook 
for  his  voice  that  of  the  titiriji  or  great  homed  owl 
of  the  pampas.  I  found  him  perched  among  the 
branches  of  a  guamo  tree,  inclining  his  large  head 
toward  me  with  a  scrutinizing  look  peculiar  to  those 
birds,  as  if  taking  mental  notes  of  my  appearance. 
Whenever  I  remained  perfectly  quiet  he  gave  utter- 
ance to  his  unearthly  hootings,  the  woods  echoing 
and  re-echoing  the  dismal  sounds.  Tlie  titiriji  would 
seem  to  be  possessed  of  some  ventriloquial  power,  for 
his  voice,  loud  and  deep  as  it  was,  yet  appeared  to 
issue  from  a  distance.  The  frequent  effect  of  this  pe- 
culiarity is  to  mislead  the  unaccustomed  hunter,  who 
by  it  is  readily  induced  to  wander  on  and  on  in  un- 
availing search.  Having  contemplated  at  leisure  this 
singular  bird,  I  finally  levelled  my  fowling-piece  at 
him,  and  brought  him  down  with  a  charge  of  buck- 
shot which  I  had  destined  for  a  deer.  It  proved  a 
very  fine  specimen,  with  wings  as  large  as  those  of  a 

*  Watcrton's  "  Wanderings  in  South  America." 


MATA   TOTUMO.  259 

good  sized  turkey,  while  two  horn-like  tufts  of  feathers 
rose  on  each  side  of  the  head,  which,  in  addition  to 
the  large,  glaring  eyes,  gave  him  a  truly  ferocious 
aspect.  His  food  consists  of  all  kinds  of  wild  fowl ; 
however,  not  being  over  scrupulous,  he  devours  with 
equal  relish  rats,  mice  and  snakes  ;  while  even  mon- 
keys of  the  smaller  sort  are  often  his  prey.  This  owl 
,  inhabits  for  the  most  part  the  loneliest  and  gloomiest 
portions  of  the  forest ;  but  is  occasionally  seen  sol-- 
emnly  watching  from  some  convenient  tree-top  the 
various  inhabitants  of  the  farmyard. 

The  guamos  were  now  in  full  bearing,  their  lus- 
cious beans  a  grateful  refreshment  to  the  heated  and 
thirsty  rambler  through  the  woods.  Monkeys  and 
macaws  are  particularly  fond  of  this  bean ;  and  on 
the  tops  of  all  the  highest  guamo-trees  could  be  seen 
family  reunions  of  these  chatterers  apparently  discuss- 
ing the  merits  of  the  crop. 

Of  monkeys  there  are  two  kinds  in  the  pampas, 
viz.  the  araguato  or  howling  monkey,  (Simia  ursina,) 
conspicuous  in  the  forest  from  its  extraordinary  vol- 
ume of  voice,  and  the  machango^  (S.  sajous,)  a  small 
gray  monkey  very  common  in  other  parts  of  the  coun- 
try. On  account  of  its  wonderful  agility  and  viva- 
city, this  last  is  much  esteemed  as  a  pet  by  the  inhab- 
itants, many  of  whom  keep  one  or  more  tied  to  a  post 
in  the  court-yard,  where  they  enact  to  some  extent 
the  role  of  buffoon  to  the  whole  family.  They  are, 
however,  very  mischievous  creatures,  doing  every 
possible  damage  in  the  house  the  moment  they  are 
at  large  ;  but  are  especially  destructive  to  cacao  plan- 


260  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

tations   and   cornfields.     When  about  to  commence 
their  depredations  in  these,  they  usually  assemble  in 
great  numbers  and  exercise  many  precautions ;    the 
first  step  is  to  station  several  of  their  number  as  sen- 
tinels upon  the  highest  trees;  or  any  elevated  situation 
overlooking  the  avenues  leading  to  the  plantation, 
whence  they  warn  the  others  of  approaching  danger. 
Tlie  next  proceeding  is  that  of  placing  those  of  the  fe- 
males— which  on  account  of  their  young  are  prevented 
from  assisting  in  the  foray — in  some  safe  retreat.    The 
precautions  completed,  they  invest  the  cornfield   in 
earnest,  pulling  down  the  stocks  and  tearing  off  ears 
of  corn  with  astonishing  expedition,  chattering,  laugh- 
ing, and  yelling  all  the  while  like  a  set  of  mischievous 
boys  in  the  absence  of  the  dominie.    When  they  have 
accumulated  a  sufiicient  number  of  ears,  they  split 
the  husks,  and  tying  them  in  pairs  by  means  of  an 
ingenious  knot  peculiar  to  themselves,  called  in  con- 
sequence monkey-tie,  they  throw  them   across  their 
backs,  and  thus  equipped  hasten  to  hide  their  booty 
in  some  safe  nook  difficult  of  discovery  by  the  neglect- 
ful majordomo,  who  not   unfrequently  conceals  his 
own  defalcatiojis  in  the  yield  of  the  plantation  by 
ascribing  the  deficiency  to  the  thieving  monkeys.     It 
often  happens  that  while  these  last  are  engaged  in 
their  depredations,  they  are  surprised  by  the  owner 
of  the  cornfield,  who,  eluding  the  vigilance  of  the 
scouts,  suddenly  appears  and  pours  a  shower  of  shot 
into  their  midst.     Then  with  shrill  cries  of  alarm  the 
whole   troop    scamper    off   helter-skelter,    tumbling, 
pitching  or  hobbling  along  on  all  fours,  but  never 
dropping  a  particle  of  their  plunder.     The  belief  ob- 


MATA  TOTUMO.  261 

tains  in  the  Llanos,  that  when  at  length  safe  in  their 
haunts,  the  careless  sentinels  are  arraigned  before  a 
council  of  elders,  who  after  due  deliberation  condemn 
them,  after  which  the  guilty  parties  are  tied  to  a  tree 
and  soundly  whipped.       * 

No  less  remarkable  is  their  ingenious  method  of 
crossing  torrents  and  other  minor  streams  which  they 
often  encounter  in  their  ceaseless  perambulations 
through  the  forest.  As  among  men,  all  cannot  swim 
with  equal  facility,  so  it  is  also  with  monkeys  ;  accor- 
dingly the  leaders  of  the  troop,  generally  the  strong- 
est of  the  party,  climb  to  the  spreading  branches  of 
some  tree  projecting  over  the  stream  ;  one  of  them 
then  twists  his  tail  firmly  around  a  branch,  and  let- 
ting his  body  hang,  seizes  upon  the  tail  of  the  nearest 
comrade,  who  in  his  turn  performs  the  same  operation 
with  the  next,  and  so  on  until  a  sort  of  chain  or  living 
pendulum  is  formed,  which  in  obedience  to  the  laws 
of  equilibrium  oscillates  slowly  but  constantly  from 
their  combined  efi"orts  to  reach  the  opposite  bank. 
This  finally  achieved,  the  last  monkey  secures  him- 
self to  the  most  convenient  tree.  The  others  of  the 
chain,  now  disengaged  from  the  tree  at  the  opposite 
side  of  the  stream,  wade  through  the  water,  each 
helped  by  his  neiglibor,  assisted  likewise  by  the  cur- 
rent. Some  are,  however,  occasionally  drowned,  the 
last  one  in  the  chain  especially,  which  circumstance 
has  probably  given  rise  to  the  popular  proverb,  el 
ultimo  mono  siempre  se  ahoga — the  last  monkey  is 
sure  to  be  drowned.  Sagacious  as  these  animals  un- 
doubtedly are,  it  is  often  very  easy  to  entrap  them. 
One  of  the  simplest  methods  consists  in  cutting  a 


262  "^IL^   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

number  of  holes  in  a  gourd  barely  large  enough  to 
admit  of  squeezing  in  the  monkey's  hands.  Tlie 
gourd  thus  prepared  is  filled  with  corn  and  secured 
to  the  trunk  of  a  tree,  then  shaken  violently  for  a 
time  so  as  to  attract  the  Attention  of  the  monkeys, 
and  a  few  grains  of  corn  scattered  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  the  trap.  The  gourd  is  in  fact  the  dinner 
bell  of  the  monkeys,  which  no  sooner  hear  the  well 
known  sound,  than  they  descend  in  great  numbers 
from  their  aerial  homes,  and  each  in  turn  seizing  the 
gourd,  grasps  through  one  of  the  holes  a  handful  of 
corn.  But  in  vain  do  they  struggle  to  withdraw  their 
hands  without  relinquishing  the  prize ;  and  at  this 
critical  moment,  the  concealed  author  of  their  mishap 
suddenly  makes  his  appearance,  and  tying  their  hands 
carries  them  oif  to  his  cottage  in  the  woods. 

More  taciturn  and  retiring  in  his  habits  than  the 
preceding,  the  araguato — a  large  reddish  monkey  of 
the  ring-tail  genus — exhibits  none  of  those  mischiev- 
ous tricks  which  characterize  the  former,  never  ap- 
proaching the  haunts  of  man  nor  ravaging  the  fields 
of  the  industrious  farmer.  His  only  food  consists  of 
wild  fruits,  gathered  as,  with  astonishing  rapidity,  he 
springs  from  branch  to  branch.  All  the  limbs  of  this 
great  monkey  are  admirably  adapted  to  his  roving 
habits  ;  in  these  he  is  assisted  very  materially  by  his 
long  prehensile  tail,  which  acts  the  part  of  a  fifth 
hand. 

The  roar  of  the  araguato  is  so  extraordinary,  that 
persons  who  hear  it  for  the  first  time  invariably  ima- 
gine it  that  of  the  jaguar.  I  think  I  may  assert  with- 
out fear  of  mistake,  that  it  can  be  heard  at  the  dis- 


MATA  TOTUMO.  263 

tance  of  three  miles,  especially  in  damp  and  cloudy 
weather.  "  Tlie  Indians  pretend,"  observes  Hum- 
boldt, "  that  when  the  araguatos  fill  the  forest  with 
their  bowlings,  there  is  always  one  that  chants  as 
leader  to  the  chorus.  Tli^  observation  is  pretty  ac- 
curate. During  a  long  interval  one  solitary  and 
strong  voice  is  generally  distinguished,  till  its  place 
is  taken  by  another  voice  of  a  difierent  pitch.  We 
may  observe  from  time  to  time  the  same  instinct  of 
imitation  among  frogs,  and  almost  all  animals  which 
live  together  and  exert  their  voices  in  union.  The 
missionaries  further  assert  that  when  a  female  among 
the  araguatos  is  on  the  point  of  bringing  forth,  the 
choir  suspends  its  bowlings  till  the  moment  of  the 
birth  of  the  young.  I  could  not  myself  judge  of  the 
accuracy  of  this  assertion  ;  but  I  do  not  believe  it  to 
be  entirely  unfounded.  I  have  observed  that  when 
an  extraordinary  incident — the  moans,  for  instance,  of 
a  wounded  araguato — fixed  the  attention  of  the  band, 
the  bowlings  were  for  some  minutes  suspended.  Our 
guides  assured  us  gravely,  that  '  to  cure  an  asthma, 
it  is  sufiicient  to  drink  out  of  the  bony  drum  of  the 
hyoidal  bone  of  the  araguato.''  This  animal  having 
so  extraordinary  a  volume  of  voice,  it  is  supposed 
that  its  larynx  must  necessarily  impart  to  the  water 
poured  into  it  the  virtue  of  curing  afi*ections  of  the 
lungs.  Such  is  the  science  of  the  vulgar,  which 
sometimes  resembles  that  of  the  ancients." 

The  araguato  is  about  two  feet  and  a  half  long, 
exclusive  of  his  tail,  which  is  still  longer  than  his 
body,  and  with  features  more  closely  resembling  those 
of  man  than  any  other  species  I  am  acquainted  with. 


264:  ^ILD    SCENES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

The  face  of  this  singular  monkey  is  nearly  concealed 
by  a  sandy,  bushy  beard,  extending  below  and  project- 
ing considerably  beyond  his  chin,  giving  him  a  very 
dignified  appearance.  So  striking  is  their  resem- 
blance to  the  human  species,  that  once,  after  having 
shot  one,  I  almost  felt  as  though  I  had  committed  a 
murder.  When  I  raised  the  poor  creature  from  the 
ground  upon  which  he  had  fallen,  his  large  grey  eyes 
were  bathed  in  tears,  and  every  feature  expressed  the 
deepest  agony.  Casting  upon  me  a  most  eloquent 
look  of  reproach,  he  endeavored  to  push  me  aside ; 
but  too  much  enfeebled  by  his  wound,  lay  down  and 
calmly  resigned  himself  to  the  scrutinizing  gaze  of 
my  English  companions,  who  discussed  and  disputed 
about  the  division  of  his  still  panting  body — one 
wanting  the  skin  for  a  smoking  cap  and  the  drum  of 
the  throat  for  the  bowl  of  his  pipe,  while  the  other 
would  be  contented  with  nothing  less  than  the  whole 
carcass.  For  my  own  part,  I  only  desired  to  get  out 
of  sight  of  the  dying  creature ;  and  shouldering  my 
gun,  departed  in  a  mood  which  determined  me  never 
again  to  lift  my  hand  against  these  innocent  wild  men 
of  the  woods. 

MANTECAL. 

In  compliance  with  an  invitation  tendered  to  the 
General  and  his  suite  by  the  good  people  of  Mantecal, 
we  started  in  a  few  days  to  visit  their  village,  not  far 
distant  from  our  encampment.  When  within  three 
miles  of  the  place,  we  w^ere  welcomed  by  a  large  con- 
course of  the  inhabitants  coming  to  escort  us.    Al- 


MATA   TOTUMO.  265 

most  the  whole  population  turned  out,  saluting  our 
entry  into  the  town  with  the  firing  of  blunderbuses 
and  other  firearms,  and  further  gracing  it  with  a  most 
discordant  uproar  of  rickety  harps,  violins,  and  ban- 
dolas,  enough  to  have  driven  frantic  the  "  Enraged 
Musician  "  of  Hogarth. 

Mantecal  was  at  one  time  quite  a  flourishing  town, 
notwithstanding  the  wars  which  ravaged  it  for  many 
successive  years ;  but  since  the  great  epidemic  of  1832, 
and  subsequently,  it  has  been  well  nigh  depopulated, 
while  the  few  inhabitants  who  were  not  swept  away 
by  the  scourge,  abandoned  their  homes.  Thus  the 
once  busy  community  became  almost  a  dismal  wil- 
derness, 

"  Where  at  each  step  the  stranger  fears  to  wake 
The  rattling  terrors  of  the  vengeful  snake." 

At  the  time  of  our  visit  to  Mantecal  but  few 
houses  remained  standing,  sad  monuments  of  past 
prosperity.  We  spent  three  days  there,  and  the  in- 
habitants, hospitable  in  spite  of  their  miserable  con- 
dition, entertained  us  to  the  utmost  of  their  ability. 
Not  only  did  they  provide  the  best  accommodations 
the  village  afforded,  but  treated  us  in  addition  to  a 
nightly  fandango,  in  which  people  of  all  castes  and 
conditions  joined.  These  festivities  ended,  we  gladly 
returned  to  our  prairie  home,  the  more  especially  that 
the  important  duties  we  had  there  to  perform  would 
probably  delay  our  return  to  Maracay  several  weeks 
longer ;  also  the  rainy  season  was  fast  approaching 
and  each  day  we  had  warnings  of  the  coming  tempest 
then  brewing  in  the  south. 
12 


t 

266  WILD  SCExNES  IN  SOUTH    AMERICA. 

We  continued  to  hunt  those  savannas  while  there 
were  any  orejanos  to  brand,  adding  largely  in  the 
meantime  to  our  stock  of  reserved  oxen  for  the  mar- 
kets of  the  upper  country,  which  had  already  in- 
creased to  a  considerable  drove.  We  also  made  sev- 
eral excursions  to  the  neighboring  cattle  farms  for 
the  purpose  of  separating  from  their  herds  all  the 
orejanos  whose  mothers  bore  our  brand.  Judging 
from  the  number  of  calves  there  collected,  and  with- 
out taking  into  consideration  those  yearly  discarded 
by  the  mothers,  it  was  easy  to  perceive  that  the  rev- 
enues of  those  estates  were  greatly  increased  at  our 
cost,  their  original  stock  being  vastly  inferior  to  ours. 
In  this  manner  many  of  the  minor  cattle  farms  en- 
riched themselves  at  the  expense  of  wealthy  neighbors. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 


MATIYURE. 


Having  by  this  time  completed  our  arrangements 
at  Mata  Totumo,  we  broke  up  our  camp  on  the  15tb 
of  March  and  departed  for  Los  Laureles,  the  ancient 
site  of  another  cattle  farm,  now  quite  deserted,  on  the 
banks  of  the  river  Matiyure. 

We  found  the  house  in  ruins,  and  only  a  few  re- 
maining posts  marking  the  boundary  of  the  former 
corrals.  Tlie  first  duty,  therefore,  was  that  of  repair- 
ing the  fences,  an  operation  which  necessitated  sev- 
eral days'  hard  labor.  Meanwhile  I  found  much  en- 
joyment in  exploring  the  woody  banks  of  the  river, 
the  wildness  of  whose  aspect  had  for  me  a  peculiar 
charm.  They  were  my  daily  resort,  where,  encom- 
passed by  the  glorious  solitude,  I  essayed  to  picture 
for  others  those  lovely  scenes  which  still  perfume  the 
shrine  of  memory  in  all  their  dewy  freshness.  To  one 
who  loves  "  the  cool  sequestered  haunts  of  Kature," 
no  spot  could  be  more  charming,  nothing  more  in- 
spiring than  to  recline  under  the  venerable  shade  of 
some  wide-branched  guamo  uplooking  to  the  many- 


268  ^^^^  SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

tinted  clouds  as  they  sweep  in  solemn  majesty  be- 
neath the  blue  veil  of  heaven,  and  seem  to  melt  into 
the  tree  tops  in  the  distance — trees  whose  gigantic 
height  and  size,  wall  with  magnificent  vegetation  the 
steep  banks  rising  on  either  side  of  the  river,  mirrored 
in  its  tranquil  surface.  The  harsh  scream  of  the 
heron,  or  the  ominous  hootings  of  the  tiger-owl,  alone 
wake  the  echoes  where  else 

"  All  things  are  calm,  and  fair,  and  passive— Earth 
Looks  as  if  lulled  upon  an  angel's  lap 
Into  a  breathless,  dewy  sleep." 

Yet  is  this  beautiful  river  celebrated  for  the  num- 
ber and  size  of  its  crocodiles.  As  I  sat  sketching  on 
the  banks,  I  could  perceive  them  gliding  slowly  under 
the  still  waters,  the  upper  part  of  the  head  alone 
visible,  and  seeming  to  watch  me  with  an  evil  eye. 
The  beach  being  strewn  with  their  egg  shells,  I  con- 
cluded this  to  be  a  favorite  resort  with  them  during 
the  breeding  season.  The  female  lays  about  eighty 
eggs  in  a  hole  which  she  digs  in  the  sand,  leaving  to 
the  hot  sun  the  care  of  hatching  them.  These  eggs, 
twice  as  large  as  those  of  the  turkey,  are  considered  a 
great  delicacy  by  the  Indians  and  jaguars,  who  fre- 
quently purloin  them  before  they  are  hatched. 

The  caricari  is  another  great  enemy  of  young  croc- 
odiles, attacking  them  as  they  come  out  of  the  shell. 
After  they  betake  themselves  to  tlie  water,  the  older 
ones,  prompted  no  doubt  by  motives  of  family  pride 
to  keep  them  within  their  own  circle,  swallow  these 
tender  members,  thus  preventing  all  other  intimacies. 
Notwithstanding  this  admirable  provision  of  Divine 


MATIYURE.  269 

Wisdom,  and  a  constant  war  maintained  by  man  and 
beast  against  them,  they  are  so  numerous  in  some 
charcos  of  tlie  river  that,  if  stationary,  their  bodies 


would  completely  bridge  its  surface  from  bank  to 
bank. 

Despite  their  great  voracity,  the  mother  exhibits 
some  degree  of  tenderness  toward  her  olffspring.  Pos- 
sessed, in  this  case,  of  an  instinct  almost  infallible, 
she  returns  at  a  period  when  incubation  is  completed, 
and  assists  her  young  in  extricating  themselves  from 
the  shell.  Unlike  the  eggs  of  birds,  crocodiles'  eggs 
are  soft  and  pliable  as  those  of  the  turtle,  yielding, 
when  handled,  to  the  pressure  of  the  fingers,  yet  so 
tough  that  it  is  difficult  to  break  them,  and  in  ap- 
pearance resembling  white  parchment.  At  the  very 
moment  of  liberation,  the  young  crocodiles  display 
their  savage  nature  in  a  wonderful  degree,  biting  at 
every  object  within  reach  ;  also  the  same  vicious  pro- 
pensity is  exhibited  by  those  extricated  even  before 
the  completion  of  incubation.  I  was  once  greatly 
amused  in  watching  a  struggle  between  two  caricaris 


270  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

and  one  of  these  youngsters  not  larger  than  a  good- 
sized  lizard.  Each  time  the  birds  made  a  dash  at 
him,  this  little  saurian,  grunting  savagely,  darted  for- 
ward with  wide-open  jaws,  looking  for  all  the  world 
like  a  young  dragon.  Daring  ten  minutes  the  strug- 
gle continued  without  decided  advantage  on  either 
side,  when  one  of  the  assailants,  changing  his  tactics, 
suddenly  seized  the  crocodile  by  the  neck  with  his 
sharp  claws  and  soared  triumphantly  with  him  into 
high  air.  There  loosing  his  hold,  the  bird  followed 
his  descent  with  wonderful  rapidity,  prepared,  when 
he  reached  the  ground,  to  repeat  the  blow ;  but 
already  half  stunned,  the  victim  soon  yielded  to  su- 
perior cunning. 

"When  the  savannas  are  overflowed  by  the  swollen 
rivers,  these  carnivorous  and  malicious  reptiles  spread 
themselves  over  the  face  of  the  country,  committing 
great  havoc  among  young  animals.  So  destructive 
had  they  proved  to  the  calves  and  foals  on  this  estate, 
that  the  owner  on  one  occasion  offered  a  reward  of 
half  a  dollar  a  head  for  every  crocodile  killed  upon  his 
lands,  it  being  sufficient  for  the  claimant  to  produce, 
in  evidence  of  success,  the  two  great  tusks  of  the 
upper  jaws.  The  result  of  this  uhase  was,  that  before 
the  expiration  of  a  month,  more  than  four  hundred 
crocodiles  had  been  destroyed ;  yet  no  sensible  dimi- 
nution was  observable,  neither  did  the  persevering 
dragonade  against  them  quench  in  the  least  their 
boldness.  This  expedient  proving  useless,  they  had 
been  suffered  to  remain  unmolested  until  our  arrival 
at  Los  Laureles,  when  we  determined  to  exterminate 
those  at  least  which  infested  that  pass  of  the  river 


MATIYURE.  271 

where  we  performed  our  daily  ablutions  and  watered 
the  horses.  Accordingly,  one  day  a  party  of  us,  well 
provided  with  every  necessary,  started  for  a  bend  of 
the  river  where  the  water  appeared  to  be  very  still 
and  deep.  None  of  the  usual  angling  implements 
were  required  in  this  sport ;  we  used  only  a  strong 
lazo  and  a  hoop  about  three  feet  in  diameter  made 
from  a  light  vine  common  on  the  banks  of  these 
rivers.  Around  this  hoop  the  fresh  lungs  of  a  bul- 
lock, cut  into  thin  strips,  were  twisted  and  securely 
fastened.  The  running  noose  of  the  lazo  was  then 
laid  over  the  bait  and  tied  there  with  tendrils  from 
the  same  vine.  All  being  ready,  this  simple  decoy 
was  launched  into  the  middle  of  the  stream,  we  re- 
taining on  shore  the  other  end  of  the  lazo.  Aroused 
by  the  splash,  two  large  crocodiles  soon  appeared  and 
rushed  for  the  bait  with  open  jaws.  The  successful 
one,  in  his  eagerness  to  escape  with  his  prize,  burst 
the  slender  vines  that  secured  the  noose  to  the  hoop, 
which  last  projected  beyond  his  snout,  and  the  noose 
on  its  recoil  sliding  over,  firmly  lazoed  his  upper  jaw. 
"With  shouts  of  exultation  we  hastened  to  the  assist- 
ance of  the  man  who  held  the  lazo,  seeing  him  unable 
to  cope  with  the  monster,  more  than  a  match  for  half 
a  dozen  men.  By  our  united  efforts  we  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  dragging  him  to  within  a  few  feet  of  the 
embankment,  when,  catching  sight  of  our  earnest 
faces  watching  him  over  the  cliff,  he  tossed  up  his 
head  with  such  sudden  violence  as  to  pull  the  thong 
through  our  hands  to  its  full  length,  and  retreated  in 
triumph  to  the  middle  of  the  stream.  The  tough 
hide,  however,  from  which   the   thong  was  twisted, 


272  WILD   SCENES   IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

proved  equal  to  the  emergency,  and  with  one  more 
strenuous  eftbrt  we  succeeded  in  hmding  him  upon 
the  beach,  while 

"  Le  flot  qui  I'apporta,  recule  epouvante." 

Some  of  us  who  never  before  had  so  near  a  view 
of  these  vicious  creatures,  were  astonished  at  its  size 
and  strength,  and  our  Esculapius,  assuming  an  appear- 
ance of  bravery,  approached  among  the  first  to  con- 
template the  vanquished  foe,  but  evidently  quaking 
with  apprehension  of  the  huge  tusks  before  him.  His 
terror  at  length  proving  stronger  than  the  dread  of 
his  companions'  gibes,  he  seized  the  lazo,  tugging 
with  such  desperate  energy  to  close  the  fearful  chasm 
that  the  thong  slipped  from  his  hands,  he  lost  his 
balance,  and  the  next  moment  found  himself  lying 
almost  within  reach  of  the  still  open  jaws.  From 
these,  notwithstanding  a  considerable  corporeal  im- 
pediment, he  escaped  by  springing  with  the  agility  of 
a  cat  up  the  embankment,  where  he  remained,  per- 
haps to  ascertain  whether  the  poet's  statement  that 
"  distance  lends  enchantment  to  the  view,"  was  cor- 
rect by  the  crocodile  case  before  him.  At  length  the 
object  of  his  regards  almost  ceased  struggling,  sure 
sign  that  his  strength  was  failing ;  then  with  one 
more  pull  we  hauled  him  partially  out  of  water,  but 
no  power  could  force  him  entirely  therefrom,  as  each 
time  on  reaching  the  bank  he  braced  his  fore  feet  with 
unconquerable  strength  against  it,  so  forcing  himself 
back  into  the  stream.  In  this  predicament  we  had  no 
other  resource  than  to  despatch  him,  and  two  or  three 
sharp  blows  of  a  hatchet  administered  by  the  roguish 


MATIYURE.  273 

Roseliano,  severed  the  upper  jaw,  with  its  beautiful 
row  of  teeth,  from  the  head,  a  surgical  operation  per- 
formed under  the  supervision  of  our  eminent  Escula- 
pius.  The  patient  expired — no  doubt  to  the  Doctor's 
relief — not  on  his  hands,  and  the  "  subject "  was 
abandoned  to  the  myriads  of  caribes  which,  although 
their  teeth  could  produce  little  impression  upon  his 
tough  cuirass,  feasted  with  avidity  on  his  blood  so 
long  as  it  flowed  from  his  mutilated  head. 

We  prepared  a  large  supply  of  bait  in  like  manner 
to  the  former,  all  of  which  was  seized  by  the  hungry 
crocodiles  with  the  same  fatal  results  to  them.  In  the 
short  space  of  three  hours  we  succeeded  in  killing 
six  large  ones,  and  could  no  doubt  have  destroyed  a 
greater  number,  had  not  the  lazo  been  gnawed 
through  by  caribes,  that  pest  of  all  rivers  in  this 
region. 

Our  men  secured  a  large  supply  of  fat  from  the 
intestinal  membrane  of  the  crocodiles :  a  sovereign 
remedy  for  bruises  and  cutaneous  diseases  among 
horses.  By  exposing  this  fat  to  the  sun,  in  horns 
slightly  punctured  at  the  end,  a  fine  oil  equal  to  that 
of  the  whale,  is  obtained  by  percolation  and  collected 
in  basins  placed  under  the  horns. 

Selecting  the  jaws  of  the  dead  crocodiles  contain- 
ing the  finest  tusks,  we  distributed  the  latter  among 
our  friends  for  tinder  boxes  and  amulets.  It  is  uni- 
versally believed  throughout  the  Llanos  that  the 
tusks,  when  worn  next  the  flesh  of  man  or  beast,  will 
preserve  the  wearer  from  the  poison  of  snakes,  espe- 
cially if  obtained  on  Good  Friday.  For  this  reason 
the  smaller  ones,  set  in  gold  or  silver,  are  worn  sus- 


274  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

pended  from  the  rosaries  which  form  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal ornaments  of  the  people  in  those  parts.  It  is 
further  believed  that  rings  made  of  the  same  material 
will  apprise  the  wearer,  of  poison  mixed  in  any 
draught  by  causing  an  instantaneous  effervescence 
of  the  liquid.  The  supposed  efficacy  of  these  poten- 
tial talismans  was  once  peculiarly  tested  in  our  own 
camp. 

Among  the  few  luxuries  carried  by  our  commis- 
sariat into  the  Llanos  was  a  basket  of  champagne, 
which  was  reserved  for  state  occasions.  One  after- 
noon, while  almost  every  person  was  enjoying  his 
siesta,  the  temptation  seized  one  of  our  men  to  search 
for  aguardiente  among  the  petacas.  His  good  fortune 
discovered  to  him  our  little  treasure  of  champagne, 
and  grabbing  a  bottle  he  at  once  commenced  cutting 
with  his  dagger  the  wires  that  secured  the  cork.  Up 
this  flew  at  last  with  a  loud  report,  which  broke  the 
dead  silence  of  the  camp  and  started  to  their  feet 
more  than  one  drowsy  slumberer. 

Our  thief,  seeing  the  profuse  effervescence  gushing 
out  with  great  force,  endeavored  at  first  to  arrest  it 
by  clapping  his  hands  over  the  mouth  of  the  bottle ; 
but  suddenly  recollecting  that  he  had  on  one  of  those 
mysterious  tusk-rings,  the  suspicion  flashed  to  his 
mind  of  poison  intended  for  el  amo^  the  master ;  and 
when  in  addition  to  this  the-  bewildered  knave  per- 
ceived that  apparently  the  more  he  endeavored  to 
confine  the  liquid,  so  much  more  it  frothed  and  bub- 
bled, he  was  overpowered  with  terror,  shrieking  out 
in   an   ecstasy   of   horror,    "  Ave   Maria  Purisima ! 


MATIYURE. 


275 


Help  !  Help  !  cristianos  /  this  aguardiente  must  be 
poisoned,  or  else  the  devil  is  in  it." 

On  hearing  these  cries,  every  one  sprang  from  his 
hammock,  imagining  the  camp  attacked  bj  a  band 
of  malhechores^  and  the  would-be  thief  was  thus 
caught  in  the  very  act. 

As  he  was,  however,  out  of  his  wits  with  fright, 
he  escaped  with  only  a  mild  reprimand,  the  more 
especially  that  we  enjoyed  several  hearty  laughs  at 
his  expense.  Futile  were  our  efforts  at  convincing 
the  frightened  fellow  that  champagne  was  very  good 
drink ;  he  evidently  distrusted  all  our  assertions. 
Some  was  then  poured  out  and  drank,  and  the  bottle 
passed  round  ;  but  when  it  came  to  his  turn,  he  per- 
sistently refused  to  touch  it.  On  being  asked  whether 
his  surprise  and  repugnance  arose  from  seeing  the 
liquid  rushing  out  of  the  bottle,  his  reply  was,  "  Oh, 
no,  Sehores  /  I  am  not  surprised  to  see  it  coming  out, 
but  how  the  devil  did  it  get  in  ?  " 

"With  the  intention  of  finishing  a  sketch  of  one  of 
the  crocodiles,  I  next  day  revisited  the  battle  field, 
and  to  my  surprise  discovered  the  absence  of  one  of 
the  dead  bodies  ;  but  presently  perceived  the  mailed 
carcass  floating  at  some  distance  on  the  water.  I  was 
for  some  time  at  a  loss  to  discover  what  had  occa- 
sioned his  change  of  position,  and  I  finally  concluded 
that  its  comrades  must  have  given  him  honorable  in- 
terment in  the  deep.  Desiring  to  ascertain,  if  pos- 
sible, the  facts  of  the  case,  I  determined  to  conceal 
myself  near  by  and  keep  close  watch.  I  had  been  in 
hiding  only  a  few  moments  when  at  least  half  a 


276  ^^^^    SCENES    IN   SOUTH    AMERICA. 

dozen  crocodiles  approached  the  deceased,  not,  as  I 
had  imagined,  to  mourn  his  loss,  but  to  feast  upon 
the  many  lish  in  their  turn  gorging  themselves  upon 
the  body.  Then,  almost  to  my  horror,  I  beheld  these 
monster  insatiates  rend  in  pieces  and  devour  the  mel- 
ancholy remains  of  the  dear  defunct  with  grunts  of 
revolting  satisfaction.  Nor  did  I  perceive  in  this  case 
any  of  those  "  crocodile  tears  "  with  which  travellers 
tell  us  it  is  their  hypocritical  habit  to  bedew  the  head 
of  a  human  victim.  It  is  said  that  when  they  have 
devoured  a  man,  finding  themselves  unable  to  swal- 
low his  head,  they  convey  it  to  some  secluded  spot 
on  the  river  banks,  there  to  weep  over  and  bewail 
their  inability  with  cries  which  make  night  hideous. 

Tlie  size  and  appearance  of  crocodiles  must  be 
sometimes  most  extraordinary,  if  we  may  credit  our 
adventurous  friend  B.,  who  boasted  so  intimate  an 
acquaintance  with  their  habits,  that  one  could  easily 
imagine  such  familiarity  might  breed  contempt. 
Judge,  O  reader,  if  I  speak  not  truly. 

He  related  that  one  day,  having  labored  success- 
fully until  noon  in  his  piscatory  pursuit,  overcome 
by  fatigue  and  the  intense  heat  of  a  tropical  sun,  he 
turned  his  longing  eyes  toward  shore  in  search  of 
some  friendly  shelter ;  but  perceiving  that,  between 
him  and  the  only  copse  of  trees  which  relieved  the 
glaring  scene,  there  stretched  a  dreary  waste  of  burn- 
ing sand,  he  had  not  courage  to  traverse,  even  to  reach 
so  tempting  a  goal — he  sought  a  refuge  more  acces- 
sible. This  to  his  great  joy  he  just  then  discovered  in 
the  form  of  what  appeared  to  be  the  wreck  of  an  old 
canoe  thrown  on  its  side  near  the  water's  edge.    Here 


MATIYURE.  277 

was  a  cool  retreat  wherein  to  enjoy  his  siesta ;  so 
hastening  toward  it,  his  satisfaction  was  complete  on 
finding  it  sufficiently  capacious  to  admit  of  slinging 
to  the  protruding  ribs  his  chinchorro^  or  grass  ham- 
mock, which,  with  his  guitar  and  gourd  of  aguar- 
diente, were  his  inseparable  companions.  Kefreshing 
himself  with  a  good  pull  at  the  gourd,  and  stretching 
himself  in  his  hammock,  he  soon  slept  the  profound 
sleep  of  the  weary.  He  awoke  to  find  himself  envel- 
oped in  a  darkness  which  he  might  have  supposed 
that  of  midnight,  but  that  it  was  unrelieved  by  moon 
or  friendly  star.  Completely  bewildered,  he  sought 
a  clew  to  this  dark  mystery  by  moving  forward  with 
cautious  steps  and  extended  hands,  uncertain  into 
what  horror  his  next  movement  might  betray  him, 
when  his  surprised  attention  was  attracted,  first  to 
the  spongy  nature  of  the  ground,  then  to  the  clammy 
yet  warm  and  sticky  walls  that  on  all  sides  encoun- 
tered his  extended  fingers.  The  discovery  of  these 
facts  was  accompanied  by  the  very  unpleasant  con- 
viction that  he  had  mistaken  the  open  jaws  of  some 
sleeping  crocodile  for  an  old  bongo.  However,  with 
his  recovery  from  the  first  shock  of  surprise  returned 
the  stoicism  so  characteristic  of  his  race,  which  was 
the  more  entirely  reinstated  by  finding  his  well-filled 
gourd  with  his  beloved  guitar  lying  near.  I^otwith- 
standing,  however,  a  reviving  draught  from  the  for- 
mer, he  soon  became  conscious  of  a  void  in  his  inter- 
nal economy,  which  he  at  once  determined  to  fill  at 
Mr.  Crocodile's  expense  ;  thereupon  drawing  las 
knife,  he  without  the  least  compunction  made  a  meal 
from  the  tenderest  morsels  within  reach.     And  so 


278 


WILD    SCENES  IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 


MATIYURE.  279 

eating,  drinking,  sleeping  and  tuning  his  diminutive 
guitar  to  the  cheering  strains  of  some  lively  ballad  of 
the  Llanos,  he  remained  for  days,  he  knew  not  how 
manv,  an  uncomplaining  prisoner  within  those  slimy 
walls.  At  length,  while  mournfully  draining  the  last 
remaining  drop  within  his  faithful  gourd,  his  dungeon 
walls  were  suddenly  made  visible  to  him  by  a  faint 
ray  of  light  which  penetrated  his  very  soul  with  the 
desire  once  more  to  behold  its  source.  Snatching  at 
the  dear  companions  of  his  imprisonment,  without 
another  moment's  delay  he  rushed  for  the  opening 
that  admitted  the  life-giving  ray,  and  discovered  to 
his  delighted  surprise  that  his  jailer,  having  deserted 
the  water  for  a  siesta  upon  the  sands — which  he  recol- 
lected was  the  occasional  habit  of  these  monsters — 
had  left  wide-open  his  prison  doors.  These  he  lost 
no  time  in  passing,  seizing  with  firm  hand  as  he  flew, 
his  chinchorro,  still  suspended  from  the  crocodile's 
tusks  he  had  so  almost  fatally  mistaken  for  the  ribs 
of  an  old  canoe. 

The  precise  duration  of  his  captivity,  B.,  with  a 
praiseworthy  fear  of  exaggeration,  never  ventured  even 
to  surmise  to  us,  merely  stating  the  fact  that  when 
he  lay  down  for  his  siesta  the  moon  was  in  full  dress, 
and  when  freed  from  his  hideous  jail.  Her  Majesty 
had  in  her  turn  retired  for  a  nap. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

THE      CIMARRONERA. 

We  had  been  apprised  that  between  a  great  bend 
of  the  river  Matiyure — forming  the  southern  bound- 
ary of  our  savannas — and  an  extensive  flat  overgrown 
with  thorny  bushes,  there  existed  what  the  Llaneros 
call  a  cimarronera^  or  great  hiding  place  for  cattle, 
which,  owing  to  the  impenetrable  nature  of  the  jun- 
gle, had  from  time  immemorial  baffled  the  efforts  of 
every  majordomo  who  had  hunted  these  savannas. 
Further  we  had  ascertained  that  the  cattle  were  there 
as  numerous  as  a  colony  of  ants  ;  but  so  savage  and 
shy,  as  to  never  venture  from  their  wild  sanctuary. 
Thither  our  efforts  were  to  be  directed,  not  only  on 
account  of  the  good  harvest  in  store,  but  also  for  the 
purpose  of  breaking  up,  if  possible,  that  den  of  runa- 
ways which,  if  left  unmolested,  might  in  time  become 
a  serious  obstacle  in  the  way  of  reducing  those  wild 
herds  to  at  least  a  partial  submission. 

The  corrals,  which  I  trust  the  patient  reader  has 
not  forgotten  we  were  in  process  of  building,  being 
now  ready,  we  commenced  preparations  for  a  descent 


THE  CIMARRONERA.  281 

upon  the  fierce  hordes  of  that  neglected  section.  Mes- 
sengers were  therefore  despatched  to  the  people  of 
Caucagua,  an  adjacent  cattle  farm,  apprising  them  of 
our  intention,  and  with  the  dawn  of  day  more  than 
an  hundred  hunters  were  assembled  on  the  spot. 
Among  them  were  some  of  the  best  enlazadores  that 
the  country  could  produce,  all  of  whom,  like  the  val- 
iant Pentapolin — chosen  model  of  the  hero  of  La 
Mancha — ^had  his  right  arm  bared  to  the  shoulder 
that  the  wide  sleeve  of  the  Llanero  shirt  might  not 
interfere  with  the  management  of  the  lazo. 

As  soon  as  the  sun  was  high  enough  to  light  us 
through  the  bushes,  a  detachment  of  hunters  pene- 
trated the  bristling  maze  of  thorny  acacias,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  driving  out  into  the  open  savannas  so  large 
a  herd  of  cattle  that  it  soon  swelled  to  a  considerable 
rodeo,  No  sooner,  however,  did  they  discover  the 
presence  of  the  hunters,  than  becoming  frantic  they 
rushed  from  side  to  side  like  a  band  of  furies,  and, 
heedless  of  the  shouts  and  goads  of  the  horsemen, 
broke  at  length  through  the  ring  of  even  these  expe- 
rienced hunters,  scattering  again  in  all  directions.  In 
vain  did  the  fearless  pursuers  throw  themselves  be- 
tween the  wild  mass  and  the  jungle ;  so  rapid  and 
entire  was  the  dispersion  that  the  plain  which  but 
now  swarmed  with  the  driven,  bellowing,  maddened 
creatures,  was  cleared  as  if  by  magic,  leaving  the  dis- 
appointed hunters  in  sole  possession.  Only  here  and 
there  a  faint  cloud  of  dust  in  the  distance  betrayed 
the  course  that  some  of  the  fugitives  had  taken.  Tlie 
men,  enraged  at  this  unexpected  discomfiture,  could 
not  be  restrained  from  again  entering  the  tangled 


282  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

labyrinth  and  dragging  thence  by  sheer  force  a  num- 
ber of  the  refractory  brutes.  After  deliberation,  it 
was  decided  that  several  of  the  hunters  should  scour 
the  plain  in  search  of  the  runaways,  while  the  larger 
number  rushed  again  fearlessly  into  the  jungle. 
These  at  last  succeeded  in  securing  several  fierce 
bulls,  each  of  which  was  treated  secundum  artem,  de- 
priving tliem  of  the  chance  of  doing  much  mischief  in 
future  ;  for  no  sooner  were  they  down,  than  the  knife 
and  the  saw  were  busy  with  their  horns,  ears,  &c. 
But  the  business  was  not  accomplished  without  the 
usual  average  of  casualties  in  these  contests,  and  on 
that  occasion  one  of  our  best  hands  was  greatly  im- 
perilled. A  ferocious  bull  was  undergoing  the  usual 
precautionary,  though  severe  measures,  for  his  sub- 
jugation, when  one  of  the  men  standing  near,  acci- 
dentally became  entangled  in  the  coils  of  the  lazo  at 
a  moment  when  the  bull,  infuriated,  escaped  from 
those  who  held  him.  The  poor  fellow,  although 
thrown  violently  to  the  ground  and  severely  stunned, 
almost  miraculously  escaped  further  injury.  The 
daring  Sarmiento,  one  of  those  who  witnessed  the 
transaction,  enraged  at  sight  of  his  helpless  compan- 
ion, sprang  from  his  horse,  seized  the  sheep-skin 
which  covered  the  saddle,  and  holding  it  before  him- 
self, fearlessly  advanced  sword  in  hand  to  meet  the 
bull,  which,  not  comprehending  the  challenge,  stood 
panting  and  trembling  with  rage  before  his  bold  ad- 
versary. The  matador  perceiving  this,  approached 
him  more  closely  and  shook  the  sheep-skin  in  the 
animal's  face ;  then,  firm  as  a  rock,  he  stood  and 
dauntlessly   awaited   the  coming   struggle  ;    it  was 


THE  CIMARRONERA.  283 

enough  ;  with  head  lowered  to  the  ground,  and  lash- 
ing himself  furiously  with  his  powerful  tail,  the  bull 
rushed  upon  his  antagonist  with  a  terrific  roar,  causing 
every  heart  to  tremble  for  the  safety  of  the  bold  mat- 
ador. Then  we  heard  a  heavy  fall,  a  deep  groan ; 
we  saw  only  a  cloud  of  dust  that  concealed  the  scene ; 
but  we  knew  the  Llanero  had  conquered.  Trium- 
phant shouts  of  approbation  filled  the  air,  whilst  I 
knew  not  whether  most  to  applaud  the  fearless  grace 
with  which  the  man  had  stood  his  ground  before  this, 
the  most  powerful  of  all  infuriate  creatures,  or  the 
dexterous  celerity  that  had  found,  and  with  one  fatal 
blow  penetrated,  the  narrow  passage  through  the  ver- 
tebrae into  the  spinal  marrow.  But  the  scene  in  that 
remote  corner  of  the  earth  recalled  forcibly  to  my 
mind  the  spirited  lines  in  which  the  author  of  Childe 
Harold  thus  depicts  one  of  like  nature  in  the  midst 
of  refined  Europe : 

"  Foiled,  bleeding,  breathless,  furious  to  the  last, 
Full  in  the  centre  stands  the  bull  at  bay 
Mid  wounds  and  clinging  darts  and  lances  brast, 
And  foes  disabled  in  the  brntal  fray  : 
And  now  the  matadors  around  him  play, 
Shake  the  red  cloak,  and  poise  the  ready  brand : 
Once  more  through  all  he  bursts  his  thundering  way- 
Vain  rage  !  the  mantle  quits  the  conynge  hand, 
Wraps  his  fierce  eye — 'tis  past — he  sinks  upon  the  sand !  " 

Those  who  had  galloped  ofiT  in  search  of  the  scat- 
tered herd  finally  returned,  bringing  a  large  addition 
to  th(}  stock,  and  we  were  driving  them  to  the  para- 
dero^  when  our  Leader's  horse,  a  fiery  charger  of  the 


284  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

Goagiro  breed,*  little  accustomed  to  the  broken 
ground  of  the  pampas,  lost  his  footing  and  fell  with 
him  while  endeavoring  to  clear  an  extensive  terro- 
nero.  Fortunately  his  rider  received  no  injury  ;  but 
loosing  hold  of  the  bridle  in  his  fall,  the  horse  was 
soon  careering  over  the  plain,  and  would  inevitably 
have  made  good  his  escape,  had  not  some  vaqueros 
hunting  in  that  direction  encountered  and  captured 
him  after  a  long  race.  Accidents  of  the  kind  are 
very  common  in  the  Llanos,  and  often  in  consequence 
many  persons  are  killed  or  otherw^ise  injured.  The 
least  evil  to  which  the  ousted  rider  may  be  subjected, 
is  that  of  being  left  alone,  perhaps  with  a  dislocated 
limb,  on  an  extensive  plain,  where  the  unfortunate 
may  perish  from  hunger  or  exposure  before  assistance 
chances  to  reach  him.  Our  friend  B.,  who  once 
found  himself  similarly  circumstanced,  related  to  us 
on  this  occasion  the  adventure,  which  he  swore  by 
all  the  saints  in  the  calendar  had  actually  occurred 
to  him.  Notwithstanding  such  exalted  referees,  a 
few  grains  of  doubt  still  disturbed  our  belief. 

"  He  was  once,"  he  said,  "  engaged  in  hunting 
with  a  party  of  vaqueros  on  the  extensive  savannas 
of  Merecure,  which  form  the  great  cailon  or  pampa 
between  the  rivers  Cunaviche  and  Arauca.  Having 
started  in  the  morning  with  a  full  complement  of 
men,  there  was  no  difficulty  in  forming  the  rodeo ; 
but,  as  in  our  own  case,  all  their  manoeuvres  proved 
ineffectual  in  keeping  together  so  great  a  number  of 
untamed   brutes,   which   finally   broke  through   the 

*  Raised  by  a  warlike  tribe  of  Indians  inhabiting  the  peninsula  of 
La  Goagira,  on  the  Gulf  of  Maracaibo. 


THE  CIMARRONERA.  285 

ranks  as  easily  as  might  a  herd  of  wild  hogs  through 
a  field  of  reeds,  and  vanished  in  the  distance.  So 
great  was  the  cloud  of  dust  they  raised,  that  when  it 
cleared,  B.,  whose  horse  during  the  confusion  had 
stumbled  in  the  hole  of  a  prairie^owl,  thrown,  and 
then  deserted  him,  found  himself  solus  in  the  midst 
of  the  wide  pampa,  and  so  bewildered  and  confused 
by  the  general  stampede,  that  he  was  totally  unable 
,to  discover  the  least  clew  by  which  to  guide  his  steps 
over  those  trackless  wilds.  Overcome  with  the  fa- 
tigue of  his  useless  search,  he  threw  himself  upon  the 
ground,  finally  quite  disheartened  by  the  recollection 
that  he  had  no  lazo  by  which  he  would  have  been 
enabled  at  any  time  to  secure  sufiicient  animal  food 
for  his  subsistence.  Two  whole  days  he  thus  passed 
hopelessly  ;jvandering  and  in  search  of  food,  when, 
upon  the  third,  kind  Providence,  compassionating  his 
sufierings,  placed  in  his  way  a  fat  calf,  which  he  suc- 
ceeded in  capturing  after  a  short  chase.  Having 
slauorhtered  it,  he  roasted  the  whole  at  once  lest  it 
might  spoil,  then  ravenously  devoured  the  welcome 
repast.  This  supply  lasted  several  days,  when  again 
finding  himself  minus  food,  he  determined  to  put  in 
practice  a  stratagem  that  he  had  devised  whereby  to 
secure  for  himself  in  future  an  unfailing  supply 
of  wholesome  nourishment.  He  had  observed  the 
mother  of  the  calf,  apparently  in  search  of  her  off- 
spring, lingering  in  the  neighborhood,  moaning  and 
bellowing  in  a  most  piteous  manner.  Availing  him- 
self of  the  first  eligible  opportunity,  he  approached 
her  on  all  fours,  entirely  covered  with  the  skin  of  her 
own  calf,  and  forthwith  commenced  drawing  suste- 


286  ^^^^   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

nance  from  the  maternal  fount ;  this  he  accomplished 
with  so  much  natural  ease  and  grace,  that  the  tender 
mother,  after  a  few  incredulous  sniffs,  felt  convinced 
at  last  of  his  being  a  perfect  calf,  and  accepting  him 
for  her  own,  bestowed  upon  him  a  good  licking.  Thus 
graciously  encouraged,  and  each  day  more  delighted 
with  the  unrestrained  freedom  of  his  new  life,  time 
rolled  on  and  a  year  elapsed  without  his  ever  regret- 
ting the  loss  of  home  or  friends ;  while  so  powejrful 
was  the  effect  of  this  novel  mode  of  existence  upon 
his  person,  that  it  had  materially  altered  his  whole 
appearance,  and  as  the  calf  skin  seemed  to  have  ac- 
tually adhered  to  his  own,  so  he  found  himself  rapidly 
assimilating,  as  well  in  tastes  as  habits,  to  that  inter- 
esting quadruped. 

About  this  period  the  majordomo  undertook 
another  hunt  on  these  plains,  where  he  quickly  suc- 
ceeded in  collecting  a  large  number  of  cattle ;  but 
although  they  were  all,  as  usual,  extremely  difficult 
to  manage,  still  there  was  one  of  the  number,  a 
young  bull  with  a  fine  pair  of  horns  twelve  inches 
long,  more  refractory  and  troublesome  than  any  of 
the  others,  which  fact — as  B.  was  the  bull — was  owing 
probably  to  his  educated  instincts,  they  enabling  him 
to  devise  a  variety  of  expedients  for  the  discomfiture 
of  his  pursuers.  However  he  was  at  length  obliged 
to  yield  to  superior  numbers,  and  the  unerring  lazo 
finally  brought  him  struggling  to  the  ground,  when 
in  an  instant  one  of  his  captors,  an  athletic  sambo, 
had  drawn  his  knife  and  commenced  sharpening  it 
upon  the  horns  of  this  novel  minotaurus,  preparatory 
to  performing  upon  him  the  usual  necessary  oper- 


THE    CIMARRONERA.  287 

ations.  But  what  language  can  do  justice  to  the  as- 
tonishment of  all  beholders,  when  the  apparent  bull, 
casting  aside  his  hairy  disguise,  sprang  erect  from  the 
ground,  exclaiming  as  he  did  so :  "  Stop,  amigos  ! 
can  you  have  forgotten  your  old  comrade  B.,  who 
was  lost  a  year  ago  in  this  cimarronera  f  " 

So  perilous  an  adventure  having  convinced  him  of 
the  risks  attending  a  savage  life,  his  companions  had 
no  difficulty  in  persuading  him  to  return  home  with 
them,  and  thereafter  found  him  of  immense  assistance 
in  their  expeditions,  as,  being  perfectly  familiar  with 
the  haunts  and  habits  of  the  cattle  in  that  cover,  he 
could  lead  the  vaqueros,  when  required,  with  the 
sagacity  of  a  pointer. 

This  story,  which  B.  related  with  the  most  admir- 
able ingenuousness  of  manner,  recalled  to  his  recol- 
lection a  wonderful  discovery  upon  which  he  had 
chanced,  while  journeying  on  a  pressing  errand  to 
Arauca. 

He  had  been  riding  hard  all  day  across  the  plains, 
until  at  length,  overtaken  by  night,  he  was  constrained 
to  encamp  on  the  spot.  Grass  and  water  for  his 
horse — a  fine  trotter — being  abundant  and  at  hand,  he 
took  no  precaution  to  prevent  his  straying,  other  than 
that  of  fastening  the  animal's  feet  on  the  right  side 
with  a  manea^  a  strap  with  looped  nooses  at  both  ends. 
In  spite  of  this  the  horse  wandered  from  him  during 
the  night,  a  mishap  which  compelled  poor  B.  to  finish 
the  remainder  of  the  journey  on  foot,  besides  being 
obliged  to  carry  the  ponderous  saddle  upon  his  head. 

Having  accomplished  his  errand  at  Arauca,  and 
after  an  absence  of  several  weeks,  he  was  returning 


288  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

home  by  another  route,  riding  a  hired  animal,  when 
to  his  great  joy,  on  the  way  he  found  his  steed  ni  fine 
condition,  and  his  feet  still  secured  by  the  strap.  The 
horse  he  was  riding  being  already  tired,  he  removed 
the  saddle  to  the  back  of  his  own  steed,  and  imme- 
diately mounted  him.  But  to  his  overpowering  as- 
tonishment, he  discovered,  on  resuming  the  journey, 
that  the  gait  of  his  horse  had  undergone  an  extraor- 
dinary change,  trotting  as  formerly  on  the  side  that 
had  remained  free  from  the  strap,  but  ambling  on  the 
one  which  had  been  so  long  confined  by  it.  His  wife 
possessing  an  ambler,  he  sold  it  immediately  he 
reached  home,  it  being  thereafter  a  useless  expense,  as, 
whenever  in  the  future  he  and  his  better  half  wished 
to  ride  at  the  same  time,  all  that  he  had  to  do  was  to 
place  her  on  the  ambling  side,  and  then  seating  him- 
self on  the  other  they  trotted  and  ambled  away  to 
their  hearts'  content. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

LOS    BORALES. 

Aware  of  tlie  importance  of  a  plentiful  supply  of 
water  for  tlie  cattle  during  tlie  season  of  drought,  we 
resolved  to  build  a  large  reservoir  in  the  heart  of  the 
savannas  before  leaving  the  pampas,  and  with  this  ob- 
ject now  turned  our  steps  toward  the  lagoon  of  Los 
Borales — so  named  in  honor  of  a  species  of  water  lily 
very  abundant  on  its  borders — which,  although  quite 
a  lake  during  the  rainy  season,  often  lost  its  waters 
by  evaporation  and  other  causes  when  most  needed. 
This  required  a  dam  to  be  raised  across  one  of  the 
many  creeks  traversing  these  plains  in  all  directions, 
to  arrest  the  flow  when  the  floods  begin  ebbing,  thus 
leaving  an  artificial  reservoir  where  previously  only 
m  extensive  bog  existed.  We  installed  ourselves 
within  the  shelter  of  a  solitary  grove,  and  imme- 
'iiately  commenced  raising  an  embankment  to  several 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  plain,  taking  the  earth  for 
the  purpose  from  the  bed  of  a  creek  connecting  with 
the  lagoon.  Digging  to  the  depth  of  twelve  feet,  we 
came  upon  a  tree  with  trunk  and  branches  in  perfect 
13 


290  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

preservation,  which,  although  it  had  evidently  been 
thus  entombed  for  ages,  a  breath  of  air  had  power  to 
crumble  into  dust.  As  from  the  time  of  our  arrival 
it  had  rained  unceasingly,  the  water  rapidly  accumu- 
lated in  the  now  completed  reservoir,  though  our  sat- 
isfaction received  something  of  a  damper  from  the 
fact  that  the  fires  were  thereby  constantly  extin- 
guished, until  we  bethought  ourselves  of  erecting 
over  them  a  covering  of  green  boughs  about  three 
feet  from  the  ground.  Upon  this  we  laid  large  pieces 
of  meat,  which,  covered  with  palm  leaves,  were  speed- 
ily cooked  by  the  fire  beneath. 

In  that  retired  and  solitary  grove,  seated  on  a 
pack-saddle,  and  surrounded  by  lazos,  bridles,  and 
other  emblems  of  our  peaceful  occupation,  I  wrote 
under  the  dictation  of  my  father,  his  emphatic  refusal 
to  accept  the  Presidency  of  the  Eepublic  for  a  third 
time.  Little  did  we  then  dream  that  this  spontaneous 
act  of  political  abnegation  would  be  hailed  with  ex- 
ultation by  his  enemies,  in  the  hope  of  working,  as  it 
did  for  a  time,  his  ruin  as  well  as  that  of  the  Repub- 
lic ;  and  that  the  same  plains  where  occurred  this 
disinterested  proof  of  patriotism,  should  shortly  after- 
ward witness  a  scene  of  bloodshed  and  persecution 
to  him  who,  not  long  before,  had  been  the  acknowl- 
edged guardian  of  his  country's  liberties. 

Thunder  storms  were  now  of  frequent  occurrence. 
One  night  we  were  awakened  by  a  fearful  clap  from 
the  approaching  tempest.  The  prospect  was  not  in- 
viting. Slieltered  in  our  liammocks  only  by  our  tol- 
dosy  and  raising  among  us  all  but  a  very  small  um- 
brella of  philosophy,  we  awaited  the  coming  storm. 


LOS  BORALES.  291 

In  a  moment  it  was  upon  lis  with  a  raging  wind  that 
threatened  to  overthrow  and  crush  us  beneath  the 
falling  branches  of  the  trees.  Tlien  from  the  heavens 
descended  so  continuous  a  sheet  of  commingled  fire 
and  flood,  that  these  at  last  appeared  to  become  a 
part  of  the  atmosphere  we  breathed.  Terrified  by 
this  fearful  uproar,  our  madrina  of  supernumerary 
horses,  which,  fearing  the  snakes,  we  had  quartered 
in  the  bed  of  a  dried-up  lagoon,  dashed  madly  across 
the  plain,  in  spite  of  the  combined  efibrts  of  their 
keepers.  But  no  sooner  had  these  refractory  animals 
abandoned  the  secure  pastures  for  the  high  grounds, 
than,  attacked  by  snakes,  three  of  them  paid  with 
their  lives  their  insubordination,  and  one  of  these  un- 
fortunates was  afterward  brought  staggering  into  the 
camp,  groaning  piteously.  Unable  in  the  darkness 
to  discover  the  cause  of  his  sufi'erings,  a  light  was 
speedily  procured  by  igniting  a  rag  rolled  in  fat, 
when  a  most  revolting  spectacle  presented  itself ;  the 
poor  beast,  so  covered  with  blood  that  he  appeared 
literally  to  have  been  plunged  into  a  bath  of  gore, 
had  evidently  been  bitten  by  a  snake,  possibly  the 
same  which  in  killing  the  others  had  probably  nearly 
exhausted  its  poison  upon  them,  so  that  what  re- 
mained of  the  venom  had  not  power  to  produce  im- 
mediate death,  but  efifeeted  a  complete  diapedesis  or 
transudation  of  the  blood.  A  curandero  present  un- 
dertook to  restore  the  poor  animal  by  means  of  the 
famous  oracion^  but  on  this  occasion  his  skill  was 
vain — the  horse  in  a  short  time  expiring,  apparently 
in  great  agony.  The  groans  of  the  dying  animal,  the 
thundering  of  the  others  along  the  waste,  the  shouts 


292  '^ILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

and  curses  of  their  pursuers,  who  in  the  darkness 
were  in  danger  of  being  trampled  under  the  feet  of 
more  than  three  hundred  frightened  animals,  mingled 
with  the  appalling  fary  of  the  elements,  until  it  seemed 
as  though  earth  and  heaven  were  struggling  for  the 
mastery.  This  fearful  scene  oh,  my  unhappy  coun- 
try !  shadowed  forth  but  too  faithfully  thy  dark  night 
of  despotism  ;  the  anarchy,  contentions,  and  wretched- 
ness of  thy  children ;  thy  ravaged  borders,  where  the 
"  AYise  and  Good "  had  formerly  scattered  plenty 
over  the  smiling  land,  and  portrays  now  to  me  as  faith- 
fully the  night  when  I,  with  a  handful  of  brave  youths 
from  Maracaibo,  was  surprised  upon  the  borders  of  its 
lake  by  the  myrmidons  of  the  tyrant  Monagas,  and 
carried  prisoners  to  the  capital  while  endeavoring  to 
save  the  remnant  of  constitutional  liberty  in  the  re- 
public. 

Our  men,  finding  it  impossible  during  the  dark- 
ness to  trace  the  horses — among  them  all  of  those  used 
for  the  saddle — were  obliged  to  postpone  their  search 
until  sunrise.  At  length,  as  if  wearied  with  its  wild 
orgies,  this  tumultuous  night  passed  away,  and  the 
morning  star  appeared  leading  the  timid  dawn.  The 
earth,  so  late  the  dark  abode  of  chaos,  now  in  bloom 
and  beauty,  seemed  the  favored  daughter  of  the 
spheres,  sparkling  in  liquid  gems,  and  radiant  in  the 
gorgeous  splendor  of  tropical  spring,  while  myriads 
of  white  lilies,  far  as  eye  could  reach,  mantled  the 
plain,  flooding  with  perfume  the  pure  morning  air. 
Countless  flocks  of  waterfowl,  from  the  tiny  g'diriri 
to  the  soldier-like  crane  of  the  pampas,  crowded  the 


LOS  BORALES.  293 

miniature  lakes,  which,  the  late  storm  had  left  in 
every  hollow  of  the  groimd,  and  made  the  air  re- 
sound with  their  harsh  and  varied  notes.  Conspicu- 
ous among  these  last  were  the  several  species  of 
garzas — herons — those  "  Ladies  of  the  waters,  delicate 
in  form,  beautiful  in  plumage,  and  graceful  in  their 
movements,"  whose  slender,  arching  necks,  curving 
here  and  there  above  and  through  the  sprouting 
grass,  reminded  one  of  the  deadly  snakes  lurking 
about  the  plain.  There,  too,  the  carrao^  a  bird  less 
prepossessing  in  appearance,  but  endowed  with  keen 
perception  of  a  coming  change  of  weather,  announ- 
ced by  loud  cries,  from  which  it  derives  its  name, 
the  near  approach  of  rain  with  singular  precision. 
Clouds  of  fluttering  gaviotas  or  scissor-beaks  (Ehyn- 
chops)  skimmed  the  water  in  wild,  irregular  flight, 
ploughing  up  the  smaller  fish  with  their  scissor-like 
beaks,  and  vexing  the  ear  with  harsh  and  piercing 
cries.  On  all  sides  bellowing  herds  of  cattle  and 
troops  of  emaciated  deer  wandered,  panting  as  they 
sought  for  water  and  fresh  food  ;  while,  rescued  from 
the  torpor  into  which  the  protracted  summer  drought 
had  plunged  them,  the  drowsy  crocodiles  and  slug- 
gish tortoises  moved  slowly  over  the  plain  in  search 
of  the  reviving  element. 

It  was  no  easy  task  to  keep  the  fires  burning  after 
the  deluging  showers  of  the  previous  night,  in  con- 
sequence of  which  we  were  threatened  for  a  while 
with  starvation  in  the  midst  of  plenty,  as  not  only 
had  our  temporary  kitchen  been  destroyed,  but  every 
log  of  wood  was  drenched  with  water ;  so  were  also 
our  scanty  garments  and  ponchos,  most  of  them  being 


294  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

likewise  in  a  few  hours  covered  with  the  larvae  of 
myriads  of  flies  which  infested  our  camp.  These 
fetitea  mislres  were,  however,  forgotten  for  the  mo- 
ment in  the  all-absorbing  topic  of  the  whereabouts  of 
our  runaway  horses.  Happily  the  Llaneros,  accus- 
tomed from  their  infancy  to  observe  the  instincts  of  the 
animals  surrounding  them,  possess  a  sort  of  intuitive 
knowledge — with  them  it  might  be  called  a  science — 
of  their  movements  and  impulses. 

In  following  the  trail  of  stray  animals  amidst 
thousands  intercepting  each  other  in  every  direction, 
it  is  of  course  necessary  to  determine  the  right  one  in 
order  to  prosecute  the  search  with  some  degree  of 
success.  The  long  experience  and  sagacity  of  our 
sturdy  majordomo,  whose  word  was  considered  in- 
fallible in  such  matters,  were  of  incalciilable  advan- 
tage on  this  occasion.  Calmly  seated  on  his  ham- 
mock, his  weather-beaten  countenance  turned  toward 
the  far  horizon,  he  assembled  around  him  the  wearied 
watchmen  of  the  missing  drove,  still  drenched  by  the 
late  tempest ;  and  directing  each  squad  as  to  the 
probable  course  followed  by  the  separate  groups  of 
horses,  he  ordered  them  to  disperse  over  the  plain  in 
pursuit  of  their  uncertain  errand.  As  the  subsequent 
results  proved,  on  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day, 
it  was  executed  with  gratifying  punctuality ;  and 
here  I  may  be  permitted  to  utter  a  passing  word  of 
praise  in  behalf  of  these  hardy  cavaliers  of  the  desert 
plains,  upon  whose  courage  and  sagacity  often  de- 
pends, not  only  the  success  of  such  expeditions,  but 
sometimes  even  the  fate  of  a  whole  army,  whose  pro- 
gress would  be  seriously  endangered  without  a  com- 


LOS  BORALES.  295 

petent  body  of  cavalry  to  procure  the  necessary  sup- 
ply of  beef.  Scantily  provided  with  raiment,  poorly 
paid,  and  the  simple  fare  of  the  Llanos  for  rations, 
they  are  at  the  post  of  duty  at  all  hours,  in  the  hot 
sunshine  of  day,  or  "  in  thunder,  in  lightning,  and  in 
rain  "  by  night,  always  cheerful  and  happy,  providing 
they  have  with  them  their  inharmonious  guitar  and 
plenty  of  tobacco  with  which  to  satisfy  their  appetite 
for  stimulus  of  some  sort.  Among  the  various  duties 
of  their  vocation,  one  of  the  hardest  to  which  they 
are  subjected  is  that  of  keeping  a  constant  watch  over 
the  cattle  at  night  to  prevent  their  dispersion,  as  they 
are  compelled  to  remain  for  hours  on  horseback  and 
"  wide  awake."  In  order  to  accustom  the  cattle  to 
the  voice  of  their  nocturnal  guardians,  a  constant 
chant  in  a  peculiarly  plaintive  strain,  in  which  cattle 
seem  rather  to  delight,  is  kept  up  until  morning, 
when  only  a  few  horsemen  are  necessary  to  retain 
them  within  the  grazing  ground.  Should  the  unruly 
herd,  despite  their  vigilance,  take  alarm,  as  is  often 
the  case,  or  evince  any  symptoms  of  uneasiness,  the 
first  care  of  the  men  is  to  close  in,  in  circle,  and  if  this 
prove  unavailing,  they  place  themselves  at  the  head 
of  the  stampede,  in  order  to  check,  if  possible,  the 
progress  of  the  afirighted  multitude  ;  but  woe  to  the 
unfortunate  watchman  whose  horse,  missing  his  foot- 
ing, throws  his  rider,  for  he  will  be  trampled  to  death 
in  an  instant !  ^ 

One  afternoon  we  were  apprised  by  a  special  mes- 
senger from  El  Frio,  that  a  tall,  red-faced  Englishman 
had  arrived  from  the  Orinoco,  bringing  any  quantity 


296  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

of  fire-arms,  ammunition,  and — what  appeared  most 
extraordinary  to  our  informant — a  genuine  negro  ser- 
vant wlio  could  speak  Englisli.  As  no  written  com- 
munication had  been  despatched  along  with  the 
bearer  of  this  unexpected  piece  of  intelligence,  w^e 
had  not  an  idea  of  who  this  British  Nimrod  might  be. 
We,  however,  hastened  to  welcome  the  stranger,  and 
for  the  purpose  left  Los  Borales  next  morning  for 
head-quarters.  On  arriving,  w^e  were  most  agreeably 
surprised  at  meeting  no  less  a  personage  than  Lord 
James  Butler,  now,  as  I  understand,  Earl  of  Or- 
mond.  We  then  recollected  that  the  previous  year, 
when  his  lordship  had  honored  us  with  a  visit  at  our 
home  in  the  valleys  of  Aragua,  he  had  promised  that 
should  w^e  carry  out  our  projected  expedition  to  the 
pampas,  he  would  meet  us  there.  Accordingly,  in 
expectation  of  this,  he  had  quitted  Barbadoes — where 
he  was  stationed  with  his  regiment — in  his  yacht  for 
the  river  Orinoco.  There  he  left  it  and  prosecuted 
the  remainder  of  the  voyage  in  a  clumsy  bongo,  up 
the  Apure,  arriving  at  San  Fernando  nearly  a  month 
after  quitting  Ciudad  Bolivar.  At  the  former  place 
he  was  advised  to  proceed  to  Achaguas,  where  he 
would  most  likely  hear  of  our  whereabouts.  Obtain- 
ing there  the  requisite  information,  he  immediately  set 
out  for  our  cattle  farm,  distant  about  fifteen  leagues  ; 
but  instead  of  providing  him  with  a  guide  across  the 
trackless  waste,  he  was  merely  furnished  with  a  re- 
fractory mule,  which  they  assured  him  would  take 
him  to  the  next  cattle  farm,  whence  he  would  be  di- 
rected onward.  He  had  not  proceeded  far  on  his 
solitary  way,  when  the  vicious  animal,  taking  fright 


LOS  BORALES.  297 

at  a  prairie-owl  just  as  niglit  was  approacliing,  sud- 
denly wliirled  round,  and  my  lord,  despite  his  long 
legs  and  English  horsemanship,  lost  his  balance,  was 
dismounted,  and,  what  w^as  worse,  left  to  shift  for 
himself  in  the  midst  of  a  wide  plain  ;  the  mule,  finding, 
perhaps,  the  load  rather  too  much  for  him,  scampering 
off  without  even  a  parting  compliment.  JSTor  was  his 
sable  squire  at  hand  to  render  him  the  requisite  assist- 
ance, as  he  had  been  left  behind  in  charge  of  the 
numberless  accoutrements  for  the  chase.  Fortunately 
a  peon  accidentally  encountered  the  mule  on  his  way 
home,  and  knowing  the  tricjks  of  the  animal,  secured 
him,  and  brought  him  back  to  the  discomfited  trav- 
eller. 

His  lordship  related  this  adventure  with  much 
humor,  and  on  our  expressing  regret  that  he  had  met 
with  so  disagreeable  a  contretemps^  he  coolly  replied 
that  he  scarcely  considered  it  in  that  light,  and  rather 
regretted  its  speedy  termination  as  having,  possibly, 
deprived  him  of  some  curious  experiences. 

Although  the  best  room  in  the  house  had  been 
prepared  for  his  accommodation,  w^e  observed  with 
surprise  that  when  night  came,  he  insisted  upon 
having  his  hammock  slung  in  the  open  air.  Tliis,  we 
afterward  discovered,  was  in  consequence  of  his  great 
horror  for  the  murcielagos  clinging  in  clusters  to  the 
thatch-roof  of  the  house  ;  and  I  must  confess  also  that 
the  guest-chamber  in  our  Manor  of  the  Pampas  had 
few  attractions,  and  could  offer  none  of  the  allure- 
ments of  the  dulce  domo  to  his  lordship  of  Kilkenny 
Castle.  "Wines  or  delicacies  of  any  kind  we  had 
none ;  but  as  we  were  well  aw^are  that  the  hospitable 
13* 


298  ^^^^   SCENES   IX   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

Englishman  always  offers  some  choicer  beverage  than 
water  to  his  guests,  we  caused  an  old  corozo-pahn  tree 
standing  in  front  of  the  house  to  be  cut  down,  and 
from  it  we  procured  every  afternoon  a  plentiful  sup- 
ply of  palm-wine.  To  obtain  this,  a  trough  is  scooped 
out  in  the  upper  part  of  the  stem  among  the  footstalks 
of  the  leaves ;  the  opening  is  then  covered  with  the 
square  piece  of  bark  just  cut  out,  and  the  wine  or  sap 
allowed  to  accumulate  in  the  trough  during  the  night 
A  few  hours  are  sufficient  to  produce  a  pleasant  vinous 
fermentation  with  a  sweetish  taste  and  a  flavor  sim- 
ilar to  that  of  Malaga  wine  ;  but  if  left  to  ferment  for 
a  longer  period,  it  acquires  decidedly  intoxicating 
properties. 

Although  our  sports  were  nearly  over  at  this  time, 
we  endeavored  to  entertain  our  distinguished  visitor 
as  weir  as  circumstances  would  permit.  We  escorted 
him  several  times  to  the  savannas  in  search  of  game, 
and  even  got  up'  a  rodeo  and  branding  frolic  for  his 
special  amusement,  with  both  of  which  he  appeared 
highly  delighted.  During  the  excitement  of  the 
rodeo  he  had  another  adventure,  similar  to  that  I 
have  already  related  as  having  occurred  to  my  friend, 
Mr.  Thomas,  with  a  wild  bull,  and  which  came  very 
near  proving  more  disastrous  than  his  lordship's  pre- 
vious one  with  the  refractory  mule.  We  had  just 
surrounded  a  large  herd  of  cattle,  when,  like  the 
artist,  inspired  by  the  excitement  of  the  chase  and  its 
accompanying  scenes,  Lord  James  seized  his  sketch- 
book and  commenced  to  delineate  them.  He  had 
not  been  long  thus  occupied,  when  a  bull,  attracted 
perhaps  by  the  commanding  attitude  of  the  draughts- 


LOS  BORALES.  299 

man,  broke  through  the  ring,  and  made  at  him  with 
fury  in  his  eyes.  Unconscious  of  danger,  he  contin- 
ued his  occupation  with  as  much  composure  as  if  at  a 
stag-hunt  in  the  West  Riding  of  Yorkshire.  It  was 
too  late  to  render  him  assistance,  and  we  watched  the 
issue  with  breathless  anxiety  ;  but  the  bull,  apparent- 
ly awed  by  the  immovable  attitude  of  the  rider  and 
his  fearless  composure,  contented  himself  with  making 
a  tremendous  demonstration  at  the  breast  of  the  horse 
without  either  touching  him  or  his  rider,  and  then, 
turning  tail,  vanished  in  the  distance.  It  was  highly 
amusing  to  hear  his  lordship  inquire  the  meaning  of 
all  that  flourish  of  trumpets,  when  a  witty  Llanero, 
standing  near,  replied  to  him  that  it  was  evidently 
intended  as  a  salutation  from  the  wild  multitude  to 
the  honored  guest. 

Startled  by  the  noise  and  rush  of  so  many  animals 
over  the  plain,  the  foxes — in  the  pursuit  of  which 
Englishmen  are  so  lavish  of  trouble  and  expense — 
could  be  seen  running  to  and  fro,  endeavoring  to 
escape ;  no  sooner  did  the  noble  son  of  Albion  dis- 
cover that  this  favorite  game  was  also  to  be  found  in 
the  pampas,  than  he  abandoned  the  exciting  hunt  of 
the  wild  cattle  for  the  first  fox  that  crossed  his  path. 
He  had  not  proceeded  far,  however,  when  another  fox, 
and  then  another,  and  finally  a  legion  of  them  oflfered 
to  his  eager  pursuit.  Bewildered  by  so  many  bushy 
tails,  he  gave  up  the  chase  in  disgust ;  and  I  am 
sorry  to  state  that  this  species  of  emharras  de  richesf^e, 
spoiled  sport  for  him  in  all  his  subsequent  sorties, 
excepting  when,  on  a  visit  to  the  creek  of  Macanillal, 
we  "  caught  a  tartar  "  in  the  shape  of  a  full-grown 


300  ^'ILD  SCENES   IN    SOUTH   AMERICA. 

crocodile,  which  we  mistook  for  a  young  one.  This 
adventure,  however,  afforded  him  a  good  deal  of 
amusement,  and  some  surprise  to  those  engaged  in 
the  undertaking.  It  so  happened  that  only  the  end 
of  the  reptile's  tail  was  out  of  water  in  a  very  shallow 
spot,  the  rest  of  its  body  being  entirely  buried  among 
the  roots  of  a  large  stump.  Judging  from  the  ap- 
parent smallness  of  the  tail  that  we  could  easily  drag 
out  the  creature,  and  his  lordship  having  expressed  a 
desire  to  obtain  the  specimen  for  preservation,  Eose- 
liano  immediately  volunteered  his  services.  He  tried 
in  vain,  however,  to  bring  it  to  light  unassisted, 
whereupon  a  lazo  was  brought  into  requisition,  and 
having  noosed  the  tail  therewith,  we  succeeded  in 
pulling  the  reptile  out  of  its  hiding-place,  w4ien,  to 
our  great  astonishment  and  trepidation,  we  discov- 
ered that  it  was  a  large  and  full-grown  female  croco- 
dile w^ith  a  brood  of  young  ones  among  the  roots  of 
the  old  tree.  She  struggled  furiously  in  defence  of 
her  brood,  several  of  which  we  captured  and  pre- 
sented to  our  guest ;  but  when  the  time  came  for  dis- 
posing of  the  mother  and  recovering  the  lazo,  we  found 
that  it  would  prove  no  child's  play,  inasmuch  as  she 
had  full  command  of  her  jaws.  After  several  ineffec- 
tual attempts  to  stab  her  while  in  water,  we  succeeded 
at  length  in  dragging  her  partly  from  her  lair,  and 
then  only  were  we  enabled  to  unfasten  the  noose.  A 
stab  or  two  in  the  armpits,  causing  a  flow  of  blood, 
speedily  brought  the  caribes  to  finish  the  job,  after 
which  we  returned  to  the  liouse,  much  gratified  at 
having  rid  the  creek  of  this  dangerous  family. 

On  our  way  back  I  met  with  a  severe  accident, 


LOS  BORALES.  301 

and  narrowly  escaped  serious  injury  from  it.  We 
were  cantering  along  a  beantifully  level  piece  of 
ground,  covered  with  short  grass  ;  this  suggested  to 
my  English  friends  the  idea  of  testing  the  relative 
swiftness  of  our  horses.  Olf  we  at  once  started,  and 
had  proceeded  but  a  short  distance,  when  we  found 
our  way  obstructed  by  a  dried-up  creek.  The  English- 
men, as  a  matter  of  course,  delighted,  leaped  it  at  a 
bound  ;  but  my  pony,  not  being  sufficiently  strong  to 
clear  the  obstruction,  missed  the  opposite  bank  and 
fell,  rolling  over  with  me  into  the  ditch.  I  was  a 
good  deal  bruised  in  consequence,  and  the  house 
being  still  at  considerable  distance,  suffered  intensely 
in  reaching  it.  This  accident  prevented  me  from 
joining  in  the  other  sports  devised  for  the  entertain- 
ment of  our  noble  guest,  w^ho,  however  shortly  after- 
ward bade  us  adieu  and  returned  to  the  sea  coast. 
He  preferred,  on  this  occasion,  the  route  through 
Kutrias  and  Barinas,  that  he  might  escape  the  tedious 
descent  of  the  rivers  ;  a  messenger  was  therefore  de- 
spatched to  Ciudad  Bolivar,  ordering  his  yacht  to 
meet  him  at  Puerto  Cabello.  Disabled  by  my  recent 
mishap,  I  could  not,  much  to  my  regret,  accompany 
him  ;  a  guide  of  his  own  selection  was,  however,  fur- 
nished in  the  person  of  our  negro  troubadour  Quin- 
tana,  for  whom  his  lordship  had  evinced  a  decided 
predilection,  even  extending  to  him  an  invitation  to 
visit  "  Old  England,"  the  friend  and  protector  of  be- 
nighted Africa ;  but  we  could  not  spare  him  for  so 
long  a  trip  ;  and  as  Llaneros  have  an  innate  aversion 
to  trusting  themselves  on  unknown  waters,  the  ac- 
quaintanceship terminated  on  the  borders  of  the  Ca- 
ribbean Sea. 


CHAPTER    XXn. 

INCIDENTS   OF   THE   WAR   OF  INDEPENDENCE. 

After  tlie  departure  of  Lord  Jaraes  Butler  from 
El  Frio,  we  began  to  think  that  it  was  also  high  time 
for  us  to  be  getting  ready  for  our  return  homeward. 
The  task  of  retracing  our  steps,  however,  was  not  an 
easy  thing  to  accomplish  with  three  thousand  oxen  to 
look  after,  besides  the  other  animals  we  brought 
there ;  and  this  in  the  face  of  the  approaching  inun- 
dation of  the  savannas. 

As  soon  as  our  preparations  were  completed,  we 
took  our  final  departure  from  El  Frio,  which  perhaps 
we  were  destined  never  to  revisit,  stopping  at  San 
Pablo  for  a  few  days  to  make  further  arrangements 
at  the  pass  for  crossing  the  river  with  our  immense 
train  of  animals  and  baggage.  On  our  way  to  San 
Pablo,  we  were  nigh  being  put  to  rout,  and  our 
labors  scattered  to  the  winds,  by  an  invasion  of  a 
small  bloody  fly  termed  mosquilla,  whicli  makes  its 
appearance  at  the  commencement  of  the  rainy  season, 
and  which,  for  destructiveness  to  flesh  and  blood,  sur- 
passes any  thing  I  have  yet  seen  in  the  shape  of  an 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.        393 

insect.  In  an  instant  we  were  enveloped  in  a  swai-m 
of  these  terrible  creatures,  which  fastened  themselves 
upon  us  and  the  cattle  with  a  tenacity  like  that  of 
hungry  leeches,  maddening  both  man  and  beast,  and 
causing  streams  of  blood  to  flow  from  the  bites.  The 
only  relief  we  found  for  a  while  was  to  drive  the  cattle 
at  full  speed  across  the  .plain  ;  but  this  expedient,  al- 
though for  the  time  it  frightened  away  the  flies,  came 
very  near  producing  also  a  complete  dispersion  of  the 
herd.  We  therefore  resigned  ourselves  to  endure 
their  torturing  attacks  until  they  had  gorged  them- 
selves with  blood. 

From  San  Pablo  we  despatched  menon  to  Apur- 
ito,  where  we  proposed  crossing  the  river  with  the 
cattle,  to  make  preparations  for  this  toilsome  work ; 
and  then  started  for  Achaguas,  the  inhabitants  of 
which  town  had  tendered  our  Leader  an  earnest  in- 
vitation to  visit  his  old  head-quarters.  After  an  easy 
ride  of  about  three  hours,  we  forded  on  horseback  the 
arm  of  the  Apure  River  which,  running  in  a  south- 
easterly direction,  forms  with  the  Arauca  and  the 
main  channel  of  the  former  the  island  of  Achaguas, 
on  which  the  capital  of  the  province,  a  collection  of 
mud  hovels,  is  situated.  A  brood  of  scaly  crocodiles 
basking  in  the  sun,  and  a  herd  of  tame  cattle  refresh- 
ing themselves  in  the  middle  of  the  sti-eam,  were  the 
only  signs  of  animation  we  perceived  on  our  approach 
to  the  renowned  capital  of  the  Apure.  In  spite  of  its 
present  dilapidated  condition,  Achaguas  did  not  fail 
to  interest  me  more  than  any  other  spot  in  Apure, 
being  my  birthplace,  and  the  stronghold  for  many 
years  of  my  country's  independence.     The  Governor 


304  WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

of  the  province,  Senor  Arciniega,  accompanied  by 
the  few  officials  in  the  place,  came  out  after  a  while 
to  greet  our  Leader,  as  did  also  the  veteran  General 
Cornelio  Mufioz,  former  Commander  of  the  famous 
Guardia  de  Honor^  or  Colorados  de  Paez,  which  un- 
der the  leadership  of  both  these  generals,  perforaied 
80  many  prodigies  during  the  long  struggle  between 
Royalists  and  Patriots,  which  resulted  in  the  final 
overthrow  of  Spanish  domination  in  Colombia.  At 
that  epoch  of  historical  interest  to  the  friends  of  lib- 
erty in  America,  Achaguas  held  the  most  conspicuous 
position  as  the  head-quarters  of  the  patriot  armies,  a 
brief  sketch  of  which  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  my 
readers. 

The  arms  of  the  republic  were  at  first  unsuccessful, 
and  Yenezuela  submitted  to  tlie  government  of  the 
mother  country,  the  Spanish  commander,  Don  An- 
tonio Monteverde,  having  triumphed  over  the  patriot 
forces  in  1812.  By  this  time,  however,  a  new  cham- 
pion of  the  republican  cause  was  rising  in  the  south, 
amidst  the  wild  scenes  I  have  endeavored  to  depict  in 
the  foregoing  pages.  This  champion  was  Captain 
Jose  A.  Paez,  then  a  youth  of  twenty  Aprils,  who 
conceived  the  happy  idea  of  collecting  a  horde  of  un- 
disciplined Llaneros  in  tjie  plains  of  Casanare  to  op- 
pose the  overwhelming  forces  of  Spain.  His  intimate 
acquaintance  witli  the  country,  and  his  thorough  mas- 
tery in  all  the  sports  of  the  Llaneros,  admirably  fitted 
liini  to  carry  out  his  plans  successfully.  How  he 
came  there,  and  by  what  means  he  acquired  the  re- 
quisite proficiency  for  the  arduous  enterprise,  the 
following  anecdote  of  his  early  career  will  explain. 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.        305 

When  seventeen  years  of  age,  an  uncle  of  his,  the 
good  Priest  of  Araure,  his  native  place,  entrusted  him 
with  a  large  sum  of  money  to  deliver  safely  into  the 
hands  of  the  curate  of  a  distant  parish,  furnishing 
him  for  the  journey  with  a  mule,  an  old  pistol,  and  a 
rusty  sword  ;  for,  even  at  that  period  of  comparative 
quiet  and  peace  (1807)  it  was  dangerous  for  a  travel- 
ler to  venture  over  the  roads  alone,  and  carrying  with 
him  the  tempting  metal.  The  future  President  of  the 
Republic,  highly  elated  at  the  great  confidence  re- 
posed in  him,  with  the  usual  inexperience  of  youth, 
spoke  freely  about  his  commission  in  the  first  inn  he 
stopped  at  to  get  his  meals.  The  consequence  of  this 
imprudence  was,  that  shortly  after  he  left  the  inn,  he 
was  attacked  on  the  road  by  three  men,  who,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  demanded  la  holsa  6  la  vida.  Tlie 
youthful  traveller,  however,  dismounted  with  the  old 
pistol  in  his  hand  already  cocked,  and  now  threaten- 
ing one  and  then  the  other  of  his  assailants,  endeav- 
ored to  repel  them.  At  last,  being  too  closely  pressed, 
he  fired  the  pistol  at  the  nearest  robber,  with  such 
good  aim  that  he  killed  his  adversary  on  the  spot, 
while  the  fragments  of  the  barrel,  which  burst  at  the 
same  time,  struck  another  in  the  face.  Tlien  charging 
resolutely  upon  the  third  bandit  with  the  rusty  sword, 
he  quickly  put  both  to  flight,  leaving  behind  them 
the  corpse  of  their  wretched  comrade.  !N^ot  with  stand- 
ing the  obvious  propriety  of  his  conduct  on  this  oc- 
casion, acting  as  he  did  in  self-defence,  the  young 
man  feared  the  consequences  ;  he  imagined  himself 
already  accused,  persecuted,  without  the  means  of 
proving  his  innocence,  and  therefore  determined  to 


306  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

hide  himself  by  going  into  the  interior  of  the  plains, 
hoping  thus  to  escape  a  punishment  which  his  error 
made  him  regard  as  inevitable.  Determined  to  gain 
an  honest  livelihood,  he  sought  employment  on  the 
cattle  farm  of  La  Calzada,  in  the  province  of  Barinas, 
where  he  soon  became  inured  to  the  fatigues  of  the 
ranger's  life ;  acquiring  at  the  same  time,  under  the 
tuition  of  a  cruel  negro  majordomo,  that  proficiency 
in  horsemanship  which  later  in  life  gave  him  the  su- 
periority over  the  enemy. 

Proud  and  jealous  at  the  same  time  of  his  white 
apprentice,  whom  he  imagined  had  been  sent  there 
by  his  master  to  spy  his  actions,  the  negro  overseer 
of  La  Calzada  spared  no  opportunity  to  put  to  the 
test  the  courage  and  strength  of  the  future  champion 
of  those  plains,  sometimes  compelling  him  to  break 
in  the  most  vicious  horses,  which  often  led  him  oflf  for 
days  into  the  open  fields ;  at  other  times  ordering 
him  away  upon  the  most  hazardous  ventures  of  the 
Llanos.  I^ot  satisfied  with  this  show  of  authority 
over  his  pupil,  the  brutal  black  Mentor  of  young 
Paez  ended  the  fatigues  of  a  hard  day's  labor  by 
ordering  him  to  bring  a  pail  of  water  and  wash*  his 
muddy  feet !  But  the  tide  of  fortune  soon  changed  ; 
the  whirlwind  of  revolution  offered  Paez  a  new  field 
of  adventure,  and  the  humble  peon  of  La  Calzada 
rapidly  gained  the  highest  posts  in  the  patriot  army 
while  the  haughty  overseer  went  to  increase  the  ranks 
of  the  opposing  foe.  In  the  course  of  events  the  ma- 
jordomo was  brought  one  day  a  prisoner  to  Paez, 
who  not  only  spared  his  life,  but  kept  him  always 
near  his  person,  his  only  revenge  being  to  imitate  the 


INCIDENTS  OP  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE."       307 

tone  of  liis  former  tyrant  when  calling  upon  young 
Paez  to  exercise  tlie  functions  of  the  slave ;  "  Nino 
Jose  Antonio  !  bring  a  bowl  of  water  to  wash  my 
feet !  "  to  which  the  old  negro  humbly  replied,  "  I 
see,  nino^  you  have  not  forgotten  your  old  tricks." 

"When  the  revolution  broke  out,  on  the  19th  of 
April,  1810,  Paez  enlisted  in  the  militia  of  Barinas  as 
a  common  soldier,  and  soon  after  was  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  sergeant  of  cavalry.  This,  however,  being 
rather  a  slow  process  of  promotion,  he  proceeded  to 
organize  an  independent  body  of  cavalry,  with  which 
he  rendered  important  service  to  the  cause  of  inde- 
pendence. But  the  path  of  glory  was  not  without 
thorns,  and  our  young  leader  found  himself  a  pris- 
oner in  the  hands  of  the  merciless  Spaniards,  owing 
his  preservation,  as  it  was  then  believed,  to  the  influ- 
ence of  a  miracle.  In  those  days  a  war  without  quar- 
ter was  fiercely  waged.  The  province  of  Barinas 
having  been  again  occupied  by  the  royalist  forces, 
Paez  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  cruel  Puy,  was  thrown 
into  prison  and  ordered  to  be  executed  in  the  city 
of  Barinas  the  next  day.  At  that  time  military  ex- 
ecutions of  captured  enemies  were  conducted  by  lead- 
ing them  out  during  the  night  to  some  lonely  spot, 
where  they  were  despatched  with  the  lance  or  the 
sword.  Paez  and  a  number  of  his  fellow-prisoners 
were  thus  being  led  out  one  night,  when  he  observed, 
as  he  was  leaving  the  prison,  that  he  was  uncovered  ; 
believing  himself  to  be  only  going  to  make  his  deposi- 
tion before  the  Governor,  he  requested  his  companion 
in  the  cell  to  lend  him  his  hat.    The  Spanish  officer 


308  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

in  charge  of  the  mournful  cortege,  failing  to  recognize 
him  under  this  guise,  ordered  him  back  to  be  ex- 
changed for  the  owner  of  the  hat,  who,  he  supposed, 
was  the  identical  "  captain  of  the  rebels."  Thus  he 
obtained  unwittingly  a  respite  of  one  day.  The  fol- 
lowing night  he  was  awakened  about  eleven  o'clock 
by  a  great  noise  of  horsemen  and  infantry  in  the 
street.  He  imagined  they  were  coming  to  lead  him 
and  the  rest  of  his  fellow- prisoners  to  the  place  of  ex- 
ecution. He  prepared,  therefore,  to  die ;  but  Provi- 
dence saved  his  life  once  more.  The  noise  of  arms 
and  horses  in  the  street  had  been  occasioned  by  an 
alarm  in  consequence  of  information  received  by 
Governor  Puy,  that  a  considerable  army  of  patriots 
w^as  encamped  on  the  banks  of  the  Santo  Domingo 
river,  on  which  Barinas  is  situated,  and  was  about 
marching  on  the  city.  Several  parties,  coming  from 
different  directions,  confirmed  the  information  re- 
ceived by  the  Governor,  and  the  panic  became  gen- 
eral. It  was  supposed  that  the  patriots  in  large  num- 
bers intended  to  take  the  Spanish  garrison  by  sur- 
prise and  seize  upon  the  Governor.  The  latter,  there- 
fore, immediately  abandoned  Barinas  with  his  forces, 
leaving  only  a  few  men  to  guard  the  prison,  for  in  his 
hurry  he  had  forgotten  to  execute  the  prisoners,  as 
he  had  done  before  on  similar  occasions.  This  was 
the  time  for  Paez  to  make  a  bold  effort  to  save  his 
life.  The  next  morning  he  embraced  the  opportunity, 
broke  his  fetters,  helped  to  release  his  fellow-prison- 
ers, and  overpowered  one  of  the  sentinels,  who  at- 
tempted to  oppose  his  escape.  Paez  then  fled  to  put 
himself  oncQ  more  at  the  head  of  a  small  band  of 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.        309 

patriots,  to  harass  the  enemy  in  the  same  province  of 
Barinas.  On  the  morning  succeeding  the  alaiTn,  the 
royalists  could  not  discover  an  enemy  for  more  than 
fifty  miles  around  the  city.  The  alarm  and  panic  oc- 
casioned by  the  reported  approach  of  an  enemy  in 
the  night,  confirmed  by  so  many  persons,  some  of 
whom  had  gone  out  to  reconnoitre,  and  the  most  sin- 
gular disappearance,  or  absence,  of  this  host  on  the 
following  morning,  gave  rise  to  the  popular  belief, 
existing  to  this  day  among  the  common  people, 
that  the  life  of  Paez  was  saved  by  the  friendly  inter- 
cession and  miraculous  appearance  of  an  army  of  de- 
parted spirits,  known  as  the  Escuaclron  de  las  Animas. 
Many  combats  and  encounters  took  place  after 
this,  between  the  royalists  and  patriots  for  the  pos- 
session of  Barinas,  and  when,  at  last,  the  city  was 
evacuated  by  the  latter,  Paez  followed  the  movements 
of  commandant  Garcia  de  Sena  into  the  mountain- 
ous province  of  Merida.  Garcia  de  Sena,  finding 
the  cavalry  cumbersome  in  the  difiicult  passes  of 
the  mountains,  dismissed  them  in  the  town  of  Las 
Piedras.  It  was  then  that  Paez,  once  again  free  to 
act  according  to  his  own  judgment  and  impulses,  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  going  through  the  centre  of  New 
Granada  to  the  plains  of  Casanare,  south  of  the  prov- 
ince of  Apure.  This  plan  was  the  result  of  expe- 
rience, which  convinced  him  that  the  patriots  could 
not  triumph,  notwithstanding  their  unheard-of  efforts, 
while  the  Si-)aniards  held  possession  of  the  plains  and 
controlled  the  supply  of  horses.  The  acquisition  of 
the  Llanos  gave  the  superiority  to  the  Spaniards,  as, 
by  means  of  it,  they  had  a  source  of  supplies  and  a 


310  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

safe  retreat.  Paez  determined,  therefore,  to  make 
that  wild  region  the  base  of  his  military  operations, 
and  with  this  object  organized  a  body  of  horsemen  in 
the  plains  of  Casanare,  which  he  soon  after  led  into 
the  province  of  Apure. 

In  the  language  of  another,  "  no  man  was  better 
calculated  to  command  the  love  and  respect  of  his 
wild  soldiery.  Great  bravery,  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  localities,  an  affable  and  familiar  treatment  of  his 
followers,  procured  for,  Paez  great  popularity  and 
an  unlimited  sway  over  the  minds  of  his  men.  He 
was  one  of  the  best  riders  in  a  district  of  country  cel- 
ebrated for  good  horsemen,  and  understood  the  man- 
agement of  the  lance,  his  favorite  weapon,  almost  to 
perfection.  He  possessed  great  bodily  strength  and 
agility,  and  few  could  compete  with  him  in  the  wild 
sports  of  the  Llaneros,  or  inhabitants  of  the  immense 
plains  of  Yenezuela." 

The  Llanos  are,  in  fact,  a  permanent  camp  of  mil- 
itary instruction  for  their  intrepid  inhabitants.  Ac- 
customed from  their  infancy  to  subdue  the  wild  horse, 
to  master  the  wild  bull,  to  swim  across  broad  streams, 
and  to  grapple  in  single  combat  with  the  crocodile, 
the  tiger  and  wild  boar,  the  Llaneros  learn  to  despise 
danger.  When  the  war  turned  them  from  their  or- 
dinary occupations,  the  enemy  found  them  ready- 
made  soldiers.  Inhabiting  a  genial  atmosphere  and 
endowed  with  iron  constitutions,  their  wants  are 
few  and  insignificant ;  in  peace,  the  lazo  and  the 
horse ;  in  war,  the  horse  and  the  lance.  Perfectly 
acquainted  with  the  country  and  unencumbered  witli 
heavy  accoutrements,  the  dwellers  of  the  Llanos  can- 


INCIDENTS  OP  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.        ^H 

not  be  conquered  except  by  men  of  the  same  region, 
and  Venezuela  possesses  in  those  limitless  plains  and 
in  the  breasts  of  their  valorous  children,  the  strongest 
bulwark  of  her  national  independence. 

Paez,  now  master  of  his  own  military  movements, 
resolved  to  meet  the  enemy  there,  and,  if  possible,  to 
bring  about  an  engagement.  On  the  16th  of  Febru- 
ary, 1816,  he  commenced  his  march  in  pursuit  of  the 
royalist  chief,  Don  Eafael  Lopez,  and  in  three  hours' 
space  met  him  at  a  place  called  Mata  de  la  Miel,  on 
the  right  bank  of  the  river  Apure.  Tlie  royalist  leader 
had  two  pieces  of  artillery  and  sixteen  hundred  men, 
whom  he  drew  up  at  once  in  order  of  battle.  Paez's 
forces  amounted  altogether  to  about  six  hundred  cav- 
alry. It  was  evening  and  the  night  fast  advancing, 
on  which  account  many  of  the  patriot  officers  were  of 
opinion  that  the  engagement  should  be  postponed  un- 
til the  following  day.  Tliis  very  reason,  however,  de- 
termined the  leader  to  enter  at  once  into  action,  as  he 
feared  that  his  soldiers,  observing  the  great  superior- 
ity of  the  enemy  in  numbers,  might  take  advantage 
of  the  night  to  desert.  Paez  accordingly  divided  his 
forces  in  two  cohimns,  placing  the  one,  composed  of 
!N"ew  Granadians,  under  command  of  Captain  Genaro 
Yasquez,  and  the  other,  composed  of  Yenezuelians, 
under  Captain  Kamon  Nonato  Perez.  The  royalists 
were  completely  routed,  and  during  all  that  night  and 
the  two  following  days  the  forces  led  by  Paez  pursued 
and  captured  a  great  portion  of  those  under  Don 
Rafael  Lopez.  Such  was  the  action  of  Mata  de  la 
Miel.  Tliere  were  left  dead  on  the  field  four  hundred 
royalists,  and  a  great  number  of  prisoners  were  taken. 


312  WILD   SCENES   IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

together  with  about  three  thousand  five  hundred 
horses  and  nearly  all  the  enemy's  arms.  Four  months 
afterwai-d,  in  June,  Lopez  again  crossed  the  Apure 
with  twelve  hundred  horsemen  and  four  hundred  in- 
fantry, but  Paez  met  him  near  Mantecal  and  com- 
pelled him  to  retreat,  after  losing  many  men  and 
horses. 

Notwithstanding  these  advantages  on  the  part  of 
the  patriot  forces,  the  result  of  the  following  cam- 
paigns (1814,  1815,  and  1816)  was  most  disastrous  to 
the  arms  of  the  republic  elsewhere  ;  Yenezuela,  IS'ew 
Granada,  and  the  plains  of  Casanare  again  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  vengeful  Spaniards.  In  1816,  a  very 
numerous  emigration  of  patriots,  consisting  of  men, 
women,  and  children,  in  a  state  of  great  destitution 
and  suftering,  fled  to  the  wilderness  from  the  persecu- 
tion of  the  royalists,  and  took  refuge  in  the  camp  of 
Paez.  Many  persons  of  distinction  were  to  be  found 
among  the  fugitives,  and  a  system  of  government 
was  established  for  the  regulation  of  affairs.  A  meet- 
ing of  oflicers  was  held  at  Arichuna,  and  Paez  ap- 
pointed supreme  chief,  with  the  rank  of  General  of 
Brigade.  He  applied  himself  immediately  to  raise 
sufficient  forces  to  oppose  Don  Pafael  Lopez  and  to 
acquire,  if  possible,  some  resources  in  his  extreme 
want.  The  hardships  and  privations  endured  by  the 
patriot  army  on  the  plains  can  scarcely  be  conceived. 
The  soldiers  were  so  destitute  of  clothing  as  to  be 
compelled  to  use  for  a  covering  the  hides  of  the  cattle 
freshly  killed  ;  very  few  had  hats,  none  shoes.  Tlie 
ordinary  and  only  food  was  beef,  without  salt  and 
without  bread.    There  were,  in  addition  to  all  this. 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.       313 

continual  rains,  and  the  rivers  and  creeks  had  over- 
flowed and  covered  over  the  country.  They  wanted 
horses,  and  as  these  are  indispensable  to  the  Llaneros, 
they  must  be  obtained  before  any  thing  else.  Only 
wild  horses  could  be  procured,  and  they  had  to  be 
tamed  and  broken.  This  was  done  in  squadrons,  and 
it  was  a  curious  spectacle  to  see  five  or  six  hundred 
riders  at  a  time  struggling  to  subdue  these  wild  an- 
imals. Around  the  ground  were  stationed  several 
oflicers,  mounted  on  well-trained  horses,  whose  duty  it 
was  to  go  after  those  which  escaped  from  their  riders, 
to  prevent  them  from  carrying  away  the  saddles,  al- 
though these  were  made  of  wood,  with  thongs  of  raw 
hides.  Many  years  after  these  scenes,  an  eye-witness 
wrote  :  "  We  courted  danger  in  order  to  put  an  end, 
with  honor,  to  such  a  miserable  life."  To  provide 
against  this  misery,  Paez  now  turned  his  attention  to 
the  nearest  source  of  supply,  Barinas,  a  city  abound- 
ing in  all  the  commodities  he  stood  most  in  need  of. 
Although  nearly  two  hundred  miles  distant,  the 
patriot  chieftain  did  not  hesitate  to  invade  his  old 
antagonist  in  the  midst  of  the  rainy  season.  The 
undertaking  could  not,  however,  be  executed  without 
great  peril  and  hardships,  he  having  to  contend  not 
only  against  the  inveterate  enemies  who  occupied  all 
the  approaches  to  the  city,  but  against  the  inundation 
of  the  savannas  at  the  time.  The  expedition,  more- 
over, had  to  be  conducted  with  great  secrecy,  avoid- 
ing even  the  few  channels  left  open  in  those  inland 
seas  for  the  transit  of  men  on  horseback.  I^ot  in  the 
least  deterred  by  obstacles  so  formidable  in  themselves, 
Paez  got  together  one  thousand  picked  men,  and  two 
14 


314  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

thousand  white  horses,  animals  of  this  color  being  re- 
puted the  best  swimmers.  With  these,  he  crossed 
the  Apure  and  several  other  streams,  then  at  the 
height  of  their  flood,  being  compelled  besides  to  ford 
extensive  lagoons  of  various  deptlis  to  avoid  the  nu- 
merous gunboats  of  the  enemy,  stationed  at  all  the  im- 
portant passes.  In  one  of  these,  on  the  river  Suripa, 
the  expedition  was  fortunate  enough  to  capture  hy 
surprise  a  gunboat  and  a  large  quantity  of  hides, 
which  were  left  behind  with  a  strong  guard  for  future 
use.  When  near  Barinas,  Paez  sent  a  detachment  to 
surprise  also  the  town  of  Pedraza,  to  the  south-east 
of  the  capital,  with  the  object  of  drawing  the  atten- 
tion of  the  royalists  in  that  direction.  The  ruse  suc- 
ceeded admirably  ;  the  small  detachment  of  men  car- 
ried every  thing  before  them,  penetrating  as  far  as 
the  plaza,  and  then  retreated,  according  to  instruc- 
tions, to  rejoin  the  main  body.  Enraged  at  their 
audacity,  the  Spanish  commander  at  Barinas  sent  out 
a  large  force  in  pursuit  of  the  attacking  party,  thus 
weakening  his  own  force.  Paez  then  advanced 
against  Barinas,  disposing  his  line  of  march  in  single 
file,  each  horseman  followed  by  his  spare  horse,  tied 
to  the  tail  of  his  own  sumpter.  Tlie  object  of  this 
arrangement  was  to  deceive  the  royalists  also  in  re- 
gard to  the  real  numbers  of  the  enemy,  which  from  a 
distance  presented  a  very  imposing  appearance.  Ba- 
rinas is  situated  on  the  border  of  an  extensive  plain, 
bounded  on  the  south  by  the  mesa  of  the  same  name, 
through  which  Paez  made  his  entry  into  the  doomed 
city  when  the  sun  was  in  the  meridian.  The  dreaded 
army  of  "  departed  spirits  "  did  not  produce  a  more 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.       315 

appalling  consternation  among  tlie  royalists  than  the 
apparition  of  this  unexpected  body  of  ragged  horse- 
men. They  knew  full  well  that,  owing  to  the  over- 
flow of  the  savannas,  no  advance  could  be  made  upon 
the  city  from  the  south.  Tliey  felt  equally  secure 
against  any  attack  from  the  north  and  from  the  east, 
which  were  then  entirely  under  their  control,  while 
on  the  west  they  were  still  better  protected  by  the 
lofty  Sierra  ^Nevada.  Without  stopping  to  ascertain 
the  real  character  of  the  force  before  them,  the  royal- 
ists collected  together  in  a  great  hurry  whatever  val- 
uables they  prized  most,  and  had  already  loaded 
several  mules  with  them,  when  the  enemy,  dashing 
forward  in  full  gallop,  arrived  in  time  to  secure  the 
rich  booty,  after  dispersing  the  owners  and  their 
troops.  The  half-clad  followers  of  Paez  then  fell 
upon  the  stores  and  abandoned  houses  of  the  royalists 
with  the  eagerness  of  men  who  had  not  seen  a  respect- 
able garment  in  a  long  time.  One  of  the  officers  was 
fortunate  enough  to  capture  a  mule  loaded  with  thirty 
thousand  dollars  in  gold,  while  every  man  in  the  party 
got  more  goods  than  he  could  carry. 

Paez  only  remained  a  sufficient  time  at  Barinas 
to  arrange  the  transportation  of  the  booty,  which  took 
up  nearly  all  the  spare  horses  brought  along  for  this 
purpose ;  without  these  and  the  hides  seized  at  Su- 
ripa,  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  remove  it  to 
the  patriot  camp  in  the  wilderness.  Owing  to  the 
presence  of  a  strong  flotilla  of  gunboats  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  the  captured  vessel  had  to  be  abandoned 
after  a  while,  and  the  wearisome  route  across  the  in- 
undated savannas  resumed  by  the  returning  caravan. 


316  WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

The  hides  served  the  double  purpose  of  covering 
for  the  goods  and  lighters  to  ferry  them  over  the 
streams.  This  species  of  leather  canoe  is  an  inge- 
nious contrivance  frequently  resorted  to  in  those  wild 
regions  wherever  there  is  a  scarcity  of  boats,  and  con- 
sists in  a  bag  or  trough  formed  by  passing  a  rope 
through  a  number  of  holes  round  the  rim  of  the  hide, 
and  gathering  it  over  the  goods.  One  end  of  the 
rope  of  sufficient  length  is  then  handed  over  to  a  good 
swimmer,  who  takes  it  between  his  teeth  and  tows 
the  lighter  after  him.  In  this  manner,  the  immense 
booty  obtained  at  Barinas  was  successfully  trans- 
ported over  one  hundred  miles  of  inundated  plains,  to 
the  inconceivable  joy  of  the  wretched  emigrants  at  the 
camp  of  Arichuna. 

After  allowing  his  troop  sufficient  time  to  rest 
from  their  fatigues,  and  finding  it  to  his  advantage  to 
resume  the  offensive,  at  least  to  occupy  the  attention 
of  his  soldiers,  Paez  commenced  his  march  toward 
Achaguas,  although  the  season  w^as  still  very  severe. 
The  march  was  slow,  as,  besides  the  difficulties  of  the 
road,  they  were  encumbered  by  numerous  emigrants, 
and  compelled,  at  every  step,  to  procure  supplies  on 
account  of  the  want  of  stores.  The  great  multitude 
of  men,  women,  and  children,  moving  with  the  army, 
represented  to  the  life  the  picture  of  a  nomadic  people 
without  home  or  country,  who,  after  consuming  the 
resources  of  the  district  they  have  occupied,  raise 
their  tents  to  conquer  another.*     In  this  manner  they 

*  Nevertheless,  Paez  took  particular  care  to  preserve  the  breed  of 
cattle  on  the  plains  of  Apure.  Notwithstanding  that  he  was  continually 
engaged  in  war,  he  issued  most  effective  orders  to  prevent  its  extinc- 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.       317 

arrived  at  the  sand  hills  or  Medanos  de  Araguayuna, 
where,  having  left  the  emigrants  under  the  protection 
of  a  resolute  band  of  horsemen,  Paez  incorporated  all 
the  men  capable  of  bearing  arms  in  his  ranks,  and 
marched  against  Lopez,  whom  he  supposed  to  be  at 
Achaguas.  But  after  proceeding  a  short  distance,  he 
learned  that  the  enemy,  to  the  number  of  seventeen 
hundred  horsemen  and  four  hundred  infantry,  was  at 
the  cattle  farm  called  Yagual.  Paez  then  changed 
his  course  and  took  his  position  between  the  enemy 
and  the  cUy  of  Achaguas.  His  army  was  divided 
into  three  columns,  commanded  by  Generals  Urda- 
neta  and  Servier,  and  by  Colonel  Santander ;  they 
were  nearly  all  armed  with  lances,  very  few  with 
muskets  or  carabines,  and  the  supply  of  ammunition 
was  scanty.  On  the  8th  of  October,  they  came  in 
sight  of  the  enemy,  and  although  their  number  much 
exceeded  that  of  the  patriot  forces,  Paez  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  give  them  battle.  Tlie  conflict  was  long  and 
severe,  but  it  was  decidedly  in  favor  of  the  patriots. 
Bon  Kafael  Lopez  was  compelled  to  abandon  his  po- 
sition, after  sustaining  a  severe  loss  ;  on  the  next  day 
he  refused  to  renew  the  battle  and  fell  back  upon 
Achaguas,  having  previously  shipped  on  the  river 
'  Arauca  all  his  artillery  and  wounded  for  San  Fer- 
nando. On  the  13th,  Lopez,  having  made  a  short 
resistance,  abandoned  the  town,  of  which  Paez  took 
possession.  Shortly  after  this,  Lopez  being  attacked 
by  surprise  on  the  banks  of  the  Apure,  was  utterly 

tion.     The  origin  of  all  the  cattle  estates  which  are  at  present  to  be 
found  in  Venezuela  is  to  be  traced  to  the  Apure  plains. 


318  WILD   SCENES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

defeated,  his  forces  dispersed,  and  he  himself  lost  his 
life. 

At  the  head  of  his  brave  soldiers,  Paez  rescued 
the  province  of  Apnre,  a  part  of  that  of  Barinas,  in 
Yenezuela,  and  recovered  that  of  Casanare,  in  'New 
Granada.  Having  increased  his  force  by  the  new 
levies  raised  in  these  provinces  and  in  others,  he 
formed  that  army  which  subsequently  rendered  such 
important  services  in  the  cause  of  freedom,  and  whose 
exploits  have  been  so  much  admired. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

INCIDENTS   OF  THE  WAR   OF   INDEPENDENCE. 

"While  these  events  were  taking  place  in  the  dis- 
tant plains  of  Yenezuela,  Spain,  having  bravely  ex- 
pelled the  French  invaders  from  her  territory,  now 
turned  the  whole  strength  of  her  arms  against  her 
rebellious  colonies.  Several  expeditions  were  de- 
spatched under  the  command  of  the  ablest  Generals, 
and  provided  with  all  the  material  for  a  vigorous 
campaign.  One  of  these,  led  by  Lieut  en  ant-General 
Don  Pablo  Morillo,  set  sail  from  Cadiz  on  the  18th 
of  February,  1815.  It  consisted  of  sixty-five  trans- 
port ships  and  other  smaller  vessels,  convoyed  by 
the  line-of-battle  ship  San  Pedro  Alcantara,  mount- 
ing seventy-four  guns,  and  having  on  board  the  regi- 
ments of  Leon,  Victoria,  Estremadura,  Barbastro, 
Union,  (afterward  known  as  Yalencey,)  Cazadores 
of  Castile,  and  the  General's  battalion  of  infantry 
Cazadores,  the  regiments  of  dragoons  of  the  Union, 
and  the  hussars  of  Ferdinand  YIL,  a  park  of  artillery 
with  eighteen  pieces,  two  companies  of  fortress  artil- 


320  ^LD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

lery,  three  of  sappers,  and  a  park  provided  witli  all 
that  was  requisite  to  besiege  a  second-class  fortress. 
The  total  number  of  men  composing  this  expedition, 
including  the  marines,  amounted  to  fifteen  thousand. 
The  ships  carrying  this  formidable  armament  cast 
anchor,  on  the  3d  April,  1815,  in  Puerto-Santo,  to 
the  windward  of  Carupano  in  Yenezuela.  Morillo, 
the  commander  of  this  expedition,  was  a  brave,  active, 
and  energetic  officer,  cool  in  action,  a  severe  discipli- 
narian, and  was  beloved  by  his  soldiers.  Besides  this 
force,  there  was  a  royalist  army  of  five  thousand  men 
in  Yenezuela,  commanded  by  Morales. 

At  first.  General  Morillo  met  with  little  or  no  op- 
position, until,  going  into  the  interior,  he  encountered 
the  wild  horsemen  of  the  plains.  The  haughty  tem- 
per of  the  Spanish  commander-in-chief  could  not  bear 
that  a  handful  of  semi-savages,  as  he  was  pleased  to 
style  them,  should  insult  the  pennant  of  Castile  any 
longer,  and  he  therefore  prepared  to  capture  every 
one  of  them  ;  with  what  results,  the  sequel  of  this 
narrative  will  show. 

In  the  early  part  of  January,  1817,  the  Spanish 
commanders  La  Torre  and  Calzada  effected  a  junction 
at  Guasdualito,  on  the  plains  of  Apure.  About  the 
same  time,  the  royalist  brigadier  Don  Ramon  Correa 
and  the  Lieutenant-Colonel  Don  Salvador  Gorrin  left 
San  Fernando  with  fifteen  hundred  men,  and  with 
his  cavalry  and  infantry  attacked  the  line  of  the  pa- 
triots and  completely  routed  Guerrero,  the  repub- 
lican General,  forcing  him  to  fall  back  upon  Paez, 
after  a  bloody  battle,  in  which  the  patriots  sustained  a 
considerable  loss.    The  siege  of  San  Fernando  being 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.        32I 

raised  in  consequence  of  this  triumph,  the  attention 
of  La  Torre  and  Calzada  was  directed  to  Paez,  who 
presented  the  greatest  obstacle  to  their  occupation 
of  the  river  Apure  and  its  adjacent  plains.  An 
araiy  of  four  thousand  veteran  soldiers  of  all  arms, 
including  seventeen  hundred  of  the  cavalry  com- 
manded by  Colonel  Remigio  Eamos,  presented  a 
force  sufficient  to  inspire  tlie  Spanish  commander 
with  confidence,  particularly  as  La  Torre,  who  was  a 
brave  and  accomplishq/i  soldier,  was  anxious  to  dis- 
tinguish himself  among  his  companions  in  arms.  He, 
therefore,  marched  to  the  town  of  San  Vicente,  fol- 
lowing the  right  bank  of  the  river  Apure,  with  the 
intention  of  attacking  Paez  who  was  then  in  Man- 
tecal.  On  the  28tli  of  January,  the  patriots  and 
royalists  met  on  the  plain  of  Las  Mucuritas  ;  the 
former  with  a  body  of  cavalry  amounting  only  to 
eleven  hundred  horsemen,  and  the  latter  with  the 
forces  already  mentioned.  The  result  of  the  engage- 
ment was  as  unfortunate  to  La  Torre  as  it  proved  ad- 
vantageous to  the  patriots  under  Paez,  who  on  this 
occasion  made  up  for  his  inferiority  in  numbers  by 
means  of  a  stratagem  which  nearly  resulted  in  the 
destruction  of  the  entire  Spanish  army.  The  order 
of  battle  adopted  by  the  royalist  leader  was  the  best 
which  the  nature  of  tlie  ground  and  the  enemy  he 
had  to  contend  with  would  permit ;  his  infantry  pre- 
sented a  strong  and  compact  front,  while  his  cavalry 
was  posted  on  the  wings  and  on  the  rear.  Paez  hav- 
ing only  cavalry,  could  not  come  within  the  range  of 
the  enemy's  muskets  without  running  the  risk  of 
being  wholly  destroyed,  and  he  consequently  con- 
14* 


322  ^^^^^  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

ceived  the  idea  of  separating  the  royalist  horse  from 
the  infantry.  The  presumptuous  confidence  of  Colo- 
nel Ramos  and  the  inexperience  of  La  Torre  in  the 
Llanero's  tactics,  facilitated  the  execution  of  Paez's 
plan.  Having  formed  two  columns  with  a  portion  of 
his  forces,  Paez  ordered  them  to  attack  the  enemy's 
flanks,  and  then  immediately  to  retreat,  as  if  they 
had  been  repulsed.  His  object  was  to  draw  out  the 
enemy's  cavalry  in  the  heat  of  the  pursuit,  and  at 
once  surround  them  with  two  gther  columns  which  hei 
had  ready  prepared  for  that  purpose.  This  simple 
manoeuvre  had  the  desired  effect,  and  La  Torre's  cav- 
alry was  speedily  destroyed.  The  European  hussars 
alone  escaped,  because  they  advanced  with  less  pre- 
cipitancy and  in  better  order.  The  republican  leader 
now  ordered  the  dry  grass  of  the  plain  to  be  set  on 
fire,  and  it  instantly  became  a  sea  of  flame.  Fortu- 
nately for  La  Torre,  his  infantry  retreating  precipi- 
tately in  close  column,  succeeded  in  reaching  a  spot 
which  had  been  burned  some  time  before.  Even 
there,  his  infantry  sustained  several  charges  from 
Paez's  cavalry,  compelling  him  ultimately  to  seek  a 
refuge  in  a  dense  wood  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Apure,  where  the  pursuit  ceased  for  want  of  infantry 
on  the  part  of  the  patriots.  Of  this  battle.  General 
Morillo  wrote  :  "  Fourteen  consecutive  charges  upon 
my  wearied  battalions,  convinced  me  that  those  men 
were  not  a  small  gang  of  cowards,  as  had  been  repre- 
sented to  me."  On  the  following  morning,  Morillo 
joined  La  Torre,  and  continued  with  him  his  march 
to  San  Fernando  without  crossing  the  Apure,  and 
always  in   sight   of  the  republican  cavalry.     Paez 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.        323 

finally  perceiving  that  the  enemy  avoided  a  new  en- 
gagement, retired  to  San  Juan  de  Payara. 

In  1817,  General  Bolivar  appeared  in  the  province 
of  Guay ana,  and  his  first'  effort  was  to  open  his  com- 
munication with  Paez,  who  did  not  hesitate  to  recog- 
nize his  authority,  although  widely  separated  from  the 
Liberator's  head-quarters. 

From  this  period,  the  patriots  began  to  extend 
their  operations  ;  a  series  of  brilliant  actions  took 
place  at  various  points,  and  the  republican  cause  ap- 
peared to  revive  on  the  line  of  the  Apure  and  the 
Orinoco  rivers.  The  acquisition  of  Guayana  under 
Piar  was  an  important  and  decisive  event  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  war ;  by  means  of  it,  Bolivar  was  in  a 
situation  to  liarass  the  posts  occupied  by  the  royalists, 
on  any  point  of  the  immense  line  embraced  by  the 
Orinoco .  and  its  numerous  tributaries ;  he  had  ap- 
proached the  island  of  Trinidad,  had  obtained  sup- 
plies of  men,  horses,  and  cattle,  and  secured  a  com- 
munication with  Paez. 

In  the  beginning  of  January,  1818,  Paez  deter- 
mined to  take  the  fortified  town  of  San  Fernando  by 
assault ;  to  this  end,  he  directed  that  two  gunboats, 
captured  from  the  royalists,  and  eight  or  ten  other 
boats,  should  rendezvous  on  the  creek  of  Biruca,  con- 
necting with  the  Apure ;  said  vessels  were  to  lie  in 
ambush  there,  readv  to  land  at  San  Fernando  a 
chosen  body  of  men  on  the  night  of  the  14th,  while  the 
rest  of  the  army  engaged  the  attention  of  the  enemy 
in  another  direction.  But  two  deserters,  who  went 
over  to  the  royalists,  betrayed  the  plan,  and  before' it 
could  be  executed,  an  unexpected  and  vigorous  attack 
was  made  on  the  boats,  all  of  which  fell  into  the 


324:  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

hands  of  the  royalists,  and  of  the  men  on  board  only 
two  escaped  by  swimming.  The  project  had,  in  con- 
sequence, to  be  abandoned,  and  Paez,  in  pursuance 
of  the  instructions  of  Bolivar  that  he  should  not 
risk  his  forces  until  the  latter  joined  him,  confined 
himself  to  maintaining  the  siege,  sending,  in  the 
mean  time,  several  exploring  parties  to  the  plains  of 
Calabozo  and  San  Carlos.  In  the  latter  part  of  the 
same  month,  Bolivar  joined  him  with  two  thousand 
^ve  hundred  disciplined  troops,  among  them  the 
famous  British  Legion  lately  arrived,  increasing  the 
republican  forces  to  about  ten  thousand  infantry  and 
the  same  number  of  cavalry,  w^hich  last  was  composed 
of  well-trained  men,  accustomed  to  victory  on  the 
plains  of  Apure.  The  plan  of  the  campaign  having 
been  arranged  between  Bolivar  and  Paez,  they  re- 
solved to  cross  over  the  river  Apure  and  march 
forthwith  on  Calabozo,  w^here  Morillo  had  established 
his  head-quarters.  But  here  a  great  difficulty  pre- 
sented itself :  the  patriot  forces  had  no  boats  in  which 
to  cross  that  broad  and  deep  river.  It  was  then  that 
Paez  conceived  and  executed  the  extraordinary  plan 
of  capturing  with  cavalry  the  gunboats  of  the  enemy 
stationed  on  the  river,  opposite  the  point  toward 
which  they  were  marching.  A  party  of  fifty  lancers, 
mounted  on  horses  without  saddles,  were  selected  for 
this  purpose,  the  brave  Aramendi  being  one  of  their 
number;  at  a  signal  from  their  leader,  who  headed 
the  movement,  they  plunged  into  the  river  and  swam 
toward  the  Spanish  gunboats  assisted  by  the  horses. 
TlwD  royalists,  taken  by  surprise,  had  only  time  to  fire 
a  single  round,  and  the  next  moment  the  gunboats 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF   INDEPENDENCE.        325 

were  boarded  on  all  sides  and  captured  by  the  pa- 
triots. This  dangerous  manoeuvre  was  performed  at 
a  distance  of  two  miles  from  San  Fernando,  which, 
from  that  moment,  was  cut  off  from  all  communica- 
tion with  Morillo.  The  patriot  army  being  thus  pro- 
vided with  the  means  of  transportation  across  tlie 
Apure,  a  body  of  cavahy  was  immediately  de- 
spatched in  the  direction  of  the  road  leading  to  Cala- 
bozo,  and  succeeded  in  capturing  by  surprise  a  party 
of  twenty-five  men,  who  composed  the  advanced  post 
of  the  enemy.  In  consequence  of  this  manoeuvre, 
Morillo  was  also  taken  by  surprise  on  the  11th  of 
February,  at  a  time  when  his  hussars  and  a  portion 
of  the  battalion  of  Castille  were  at  a  place  called 
Mision  de  Abajo,  about  three  miles  to  the  south  of 
Calabozo.  Only  a  few  men  from  both  regiments, 
with  a  Colonel,  succeeded  in  making  their  escape  to 
the  intrenchnients  in  the  city.  The  sturdy  veteran, 
Morillo,  could  not  believe  the  report  of  his  Colonel, 
that  the  whole  patriot  army  was  marching  upon  him. 
Haughtily  accusing  that  officer  of  cowardice,  he  sal- 
lied forth  in  person  with  his  stafl'  to  reconnoitre  what 
he  supposed  to  be  a  band  of  guerrillas  ;  but  he  him- 
self had  to  flee  for  safety  into  the  city,  narrowly 
escaping  death  through  the  stoical  heroism  of  his  in- 
sulted Colonel,  who  threw  himself  between  the  Com- 
mander-in-chief and  the  lance  of  one  of  Paez's  staff 
officers. 

Instead  of  investing  the  royalists  at  once,  Bolivar 
committed  the  error  of  encamping  for  the  night  with 
all  his  troops  at  the  village  of  El  Rastro,  about 
four  miles  this  side  of  Calabozo.     Morillo  improved 


326  W^Jt^D   SCENES    IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

this  opportunity  to  abandon  the  city  under  cover  of 
night,  and  fell  back  on  Caracas,  by  the  mountainous 
route  of  El  Sombrero,  where  the  patriots  could  not 
follow  him  on  account  of  the  inferiority  of  their  in- 
fantry. Paez  then  returned  to  the  Apure,  while  Bol- 
ivar remained  with  the  bulk  of  the  army,  to  be  soon 
after  entirely  annihilated  at  La  Puerta  by  the  royalist 
General.  But  the  Genius  of  the  Andes  was  untirino: 
in  his  efforts  to  see  his  country,  and  the  rest  of  the 
South  American  Continent,  free  from  European  op- 
pression. 

On  the  16th  January,  1819,  Bolivar  joined  Paez 
again  at  San  Juan  de  Payara  with  a  newly  organized 
corps  cTarmee^  and  their  united  forces  amounted  to 
four  thousand  men.  Bolivar,  as  a  recompense  for  the 
important  services  rendered  by  Paez  to  hi-s  country, 
raised  him  to  the  rank  of  General  of  Division,  and 
left  him  in  command  of  all  the  forces,  while  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Angostura,  where  Congress  was  to  meet  in 
February.  About  this  time  the  royalist  Generals, 
Morillo  and  La  Torre,  also  joined  their  forces  at  San 
Fernando,  amounting  in  all  to  six  thousand  five  hun- 
dred men  of  all  arms.  With  these  they  immediately 
proceeded  to  attack  the  patriots  at  San  Juan  in  the 
beginning  of  February.  Paez  retreated  toward  the 
Orinoco,  transported  all  his  infantry  to  the  island  of 
Urban  a,  and  took  up  a  position,  with  his  guard  and 
two  squadrons  of  carabineers,  at  Cunaviche ;  the  re- 
mainder of  his  horsemen  he  stationed  on  the  plains 
of  Rio  Claro,  and  a  most  cumbersome  emigration  of 
ten  thousand  patriot  refugees,  that  followed  his  camp, 
was  taken  to  Araguaquen.     Tlie  plan  adopted  by 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.        397 

Paez  on  this  occasion  was  precisely  the  same  as  the 
one  always  practised  by  him  in  former  campaigns ;  yet 
the  royalist  General  was  so  infatuated  in  his  eagerness 
to  destroy  what  he  called  the  "  Gang  of  Apure,"  that 
he  was  easily  led  away  into  the  wilderness  before  he 
was  conscious  of  his  danger.  On  the  11th  of  Febru- 
ary, Morales,  who  commanded  the  vanguard  of  the 
royalist  forces,  was  stationed  at  the  cattle  farm  of 
Canafistola ;  while  one  of  his  squadrons  of  cavalry 
was  engaged  in  collecting  cattle  for  the  army,  Paez, 
who  never  lost  sight  of  him,  appeared  suddenly  with 
twelve  hundred  horsemen,  and,  without  giving  the 
enemy  time  to  retreat,  threw  them  into  disorder,  and 
cut  them  up.  He  then  charged  upon  Morales,  and  a 
quick,  constant  firing  had  commenced,  when  the  prin- 
cipal body  of  the  Spanish  army  appeared  in  the  dis- 
tance. The  patriots  now  retreated  toward  Cunaviche, 
keeping  their  adversary  under  observation  ;  at  night, 
however,  they  retraced  their  steps,  and  in  the  nioi  ning 
appeared  situated  a  short  distance  in  the  opposite  di- 
rection. Morillo  countermarched  and  continued  for 
many  days  wandering  over  that  wilderness,  renewing 
his  efforts  to  overtake  an  enemy  which  kept  con- 
stantly before  him,  like  the  mirage  of  the  desert,  and 
which  did  him  great  injury  by  driving  away  the 
cattle.  The  only  means  that  Morillo  could  employ  to 
overtake  his  opponent  and  force  him  to  battle,  was 
to  use  his  cavalry  ;  but  the  employment  of  this  arm 
jeopardized  the  only  force  which  procured  the  sub- 
sistence of  the  army,  and  might  thus  compromise  its 
safety.  At  length,  convinced  of  the  inutility  of  his 
efforts,  he  recrossed  the  Arauca  and  in  the  early  part 


328  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

of    March,  established  liis   head-quarters   at  Acha- 
guas. 

On  the  first  day  of  April,  General  Morillo  again 
resumed  the  oiFensive,  marching  along  the  left  bank 
of  the  Arauca  and  approaching  the  position  occupied 
on  the  right  bank  by  Generals  Paez  and  Bolivar ;  the 
latter  had  recently  returned  from  the  Congress  at 
Angostura,  where  he  had  been  elected  President  of 
the  Republic,  and  resumed  the  command  in  chief  of 
the  army.  Morillo  made  several  feigned  movements 
to  the  right  and  to  the  left,  as  if  he  wished  to  cross 
the  river,  and  at  noon  of  the  2d,  took  up  his  posi- 
tion nearly  opposite  that  of  Bolivar,  out  of  range  of 
the  cannon.  For  the  purpose  of  drawing  him  forth, 
General  Paez  crossed  the  river  with  one  hundred  and 
fifty  horsemen,  composed  mostly  of  officers  who  vol- 
unteered for  the  hazardous  undertaking ;  with  these 
he  formed  three  small  columns  and  advanced  upon 
tlie  enemy.  Morillo  immediately  put  all  his  forces  in 
motion  ;  his  infantry  and  artillery  commenced  firing, 
while  the  cavalry  charged  upon  the  small  band  of 
patriots,  hoping  to  overpower  by  numbers  the  weak 
columns  of  the  enemy  ;  he  himself  directed  his  course 
toward  the  bank  of  the  river.  Paez,  in  the  mean 
time,  retreated  in  order,  purposely  leaving  the  pass 
of  the  river  on  his  rear.  Morillo,  observing  this,  and 
supposing  him  inevitably  lost,  detached  from  the 
army  all  the  cavalry  in  pursuit  of  Paez,  and  directed 
his  fire  upon  the  ]-ight  bank,  defended  by  some  light 
troops.  As  soon,  however,  as  the  republican  General 
perceived  that  the  enemy's  horse  were  at  a  consider- 
able distance  from  the  army,  and  in  disorder,  he  faced 


INCIDENTS   OF   THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.        329 

about  suddenly,  attacked  his  pursuers  in  front  and  on 
the  flanks,  in  small  groups  of  twenty  men,  and  with- 
out giving  them  time  to  recover  from  their  astonish- 
ment or  to  re-form  the  lines,  he  routed  them,  oc- 
casioning great  loss.  In  ^^ain  they  made  the  most 
obstinate  resistance — in  vain  the  carabineers  dis- 
mounted— all  their  efforts  were  useless  ;  disconcerted 
and  taken  by  surprise,  all  those  who  opposed  the 
vigorous  attack  were  killed  upon  the  spot.  The  vic- 
tors pursued  the  remnants  of  the  force  as  far  as  the  en- 
emy's lines,  slaying  all  whom  they  overtook.  Their 
infantry,  thrown  into  confusion,  sought  refuge  in  the 
woods,  the  artillery  ceased  firing,  and  night  pre- 
vented the  further  destruction  of  the  royalist  army. 
On  the  day  following  this  encounter,  Bolivar  issued 
a  decree,  conferring  the  cross  of  Liberators  {Liberta- 
dores)  on  all  the  officers,  sergeants,  corporals,  and  sol- 
diers, who  fought  in  this  engagement,  known  in  his- 
tory by  the  name  of  Queseras  del  Medio ;  while  the 
following  proclamation  announced  to  the  army  the 
success  recently  obtained  by  the  republican  arms : 


SIMON    BOLtVAR   PRESIDENT,   Etc.,  Etc. 
"  To  the  Heroes  of  the  Army  of  Apure  : 

"  Soldiers  !  You  have  just  performed  the  most 
extraordinary  action  that  can  be  recorded  in  the  mili- 
tary history  of  nations — one  hundred  and  fifty  men,  or, 
rather,  one  hundred  and  fifty  heroes,  led  on  by  the 
undaunted  General  Paez,  have  deliberately  attacked 
in  front  the   whole  Spanish  army,  under  Morillo ; 


330  ^^^^   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

artillery,  infantry,  cavalry,  nothing  availed  to  de- 
fend the  enemy  from  the  hundred  and  fifty  com- 
panions of  the  intrepid  Paez.  The  columns  of  their 
cavalry  have  disappeared  under  the  strokes  of  our 
lances  ;  thoir  infantry  sought  a  shelter  in  the  woods  ; 
the  roar  of  their  cannon  was  silenced  before  the  breasts 
of  our  horses,  and  only  the  darkness  of  night  preserved 
the  army  of  the  tyrant  from  complete  and  absolute 
destruction. 

"  Soldiers  !  The  deed  you  have  performed  is  but 
the  prelude  of  what  you  can  accomplish.  Prepare 
then  for  the  combat,  and  reckon  on  victory,  which  you 
carry  on  the  point  of  your  lances  and  bayonets. 

"  BOLIVAK. 
**  Head-quarters  at  Potreritos  Marrerenos,  April  3,  1819." 

After  this  engagement,  Morillo,  finding  himself 
again  deprived  of  his  cavalry  in  the  heart  of  the  sa- 
vannas, retreated  precipitately  to  Achaguas,  and 
finally  to  San  Fernando,  which  place  he  fortified 
strongly,  and  recrossing  the  Apure,  sought  a  more  ad- 
vantageous position  against  the  attacks  of  his  hover- 
ing enemy. 

The  engagement  of  Queseras  del  Medio  was  the 
precursor  of  new  plans  and  bold  projects,  combined 
between  Bolivar  and  Paez.  Tlie  plains  of  Yenezuela, 
being  now  entirely  rescued  from  the  enemy,  these  two 
Generals  arranged  the  dangerous  and  important  ex- 
pedition that  was  to  give  freedom  to  New  Grana- 
da. Paez  had  the  honor  accorded  him  of  choosing 
which  of  the  two  should  command  the  expedition. 
They  both  agreed  that  Bolivar  should  march  into  New 


IXCIDEXTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.       33I 

Granada,  and  tliat  Paez  should  preserve,  at  all  risks, 
the  possession  of  the  plains  of  Apure.  Yictory 
crowned  the  republican  arms  in  New  Granada,  and 
Paez  resolutely  and  successfully  defended  the  im- 
portant territory  confided  to  his  care  and  protection. 

On  the  17th  December,  1819,  Yenezuela  and  IS'ew 
Granada  were  united  into  one  great  republic,  under  the 
name  of  Colombia,  with  a  territory  embracing  nearly 
500,000  square  miles. 

The  year  1821  is  celebrated  for  the  important  vic- 
tory obtained  by  the  republican  army,  under  Bolivar 
and  Paez,  on  the  field  of  Carabobo,  which  secured 
Yenezuela  to  the  patriots.  General  Bolivar's  forces 
amounted  to  6,000  men.  Only  the  first  division  of 
the  army,  commanded  by  Paez,  took  part  in  the  bat- 
tle. This  division  was  composed  of  the  famous  Brit- 
ish Legion,  lately  arrived  from  England,  the  battalion 
of  Apure,  and  1,500  horsemen.  The  field  of  Cara- 
bobo is  a  vast  and  open  plain,  lying  in  a  southerly 
direction  from  Yalencia.  An  army  endeavoring  to 
enter  this  plain  from  Tinaquillo,  as  the  patriot  army 
was  attempting  to  do,  is  obliged,  after  passing  the 
river  Chirgua,  to  penetrate  over  the  defile  called  Buena 
Yista,  lying  to  the  northeast.  This  defile  is  a  formi- 
dable position,  on  which  a  few  men  can  easily  arrest 
the  progress  of  an  army.  If  this  pass  be  gained,  and 
the  many  obstructions  be  overcome,  which  an  enemy 
can  easily  oppose  over  a  rough  and  craggy  road  of 
considerable  length,  there  still  remains  a  narrow  val- 
ley to  be  traversed,  formed  by  hills,  which  constitute 
the  entrance  on  the  west  to  the  plain  of  Carabobo ; 
here  the  level  ground  commences.     General  La  Torre, 


332  "^"ILD    SCENES    IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

the  Spanish  commander,  had  stationed  in  the  valley 
and  on  both  sides  on  the  hills  commanding  it,  several 
pieces  of  artillery,  as  well  as  strong  bodies  of  infantry. 
On  the  plain  near  the  opening  of  the  valley  the  ex- 
tended line  of  infantry  was  deployed  in  order  of  bat- 
tle, with  its  right  resting  upon  a  thicket ;  next  fol- 
lowed another  line,  and  between  the  flanks  of  both, 
there  were  two  strong  bodies  of  cavalry.  Tlie  second 
line  of  battle  had  on  its  left  the  road  to  El  Pao,  and 
the  cavalry  on  the  same  side  was  stationed  on  the 
brow  of  a  hill  over  which  that  road  passes  ;  the  sum- 
mit of  the  hill  was  occupied  by  a  battalion.  Such 
was  the  military  position  of  the  Spanish  forces,  amount- 
ing on  this  occasion  to  9,000  men.  On  the  24th  of 
June,  the  patriot  General  occupied  the  defile,  and 
from  that  place  observed  the  position  of  the  enemy. 
The  narrow  road  pursued  by  Bolivar  allowed  him 
only  the  room  necessary  to  file  off,  and  the  Spaniards 
not  only  guarded  the  outlet  into  the  plain,  but  com- 
manded the  valley  with  their  artillery  and  a  large 
body  of  infantry.  The  position  was  impregnable. 
It  was  therefore  resolved  that  General  Paez,  with 
considerable  risk  and  difliculty,  should  penetrate 
through  a  foot-path  but  little  known,  and  turn  the 
enemy's  right.  This  path  was  extremely  hazardous. 
It  begins  at  the  high  road  leading  to  San  Carlos,  to 
the  west  of  the  valley  ;  goes  over  the  top  of  a  small 
hill  covered  with  woods,  which  was  commanded  by 
the  Spanish  artillery,  and  leads  into  a  ravine  where 
the  men  were  compelled  to  pass  singly,  because  it 
was  very  rough  and  full  of  brambles  and  briars. 
When  the  enemy  discovered  the  movement  of  the 


INCIDENTS  OF  THE  WAR  OF  INDEPENDENCE.        333 

advancing  forces  under  Paez,  lie  directed  part  of  liis 
own  against  the  latter,  and  some  of  liis  battalions 
came  np  to  the  ravine,  as  the  patriot  battalion  of 
Apure  was  beginning  to  pass  it,  and  a  vigorous  firing 
commenced  and  was  continued  on  both  sides.  The  re- 
publican corps  at  last  succeeded  in  passing  the  ravine, 
but  no  longer  able  to  sustain  singly  the  enemy's 
charge,  was  already  giving  way,  when  the  British 
Legion  came  up  to  their  support.  The  enemy  had  by 
this  time  brought  into  action  four  of  his  best  bat- 
talions, against  only  one  of  the  patriots.  But  the 
gallant  Britons  now  filed  off  and  formed  in  order  of 
battle,  under  a  murderous  fire,  with  almost  super- 
human coolness,  and  kneeling  down,  they  could  not 
be  made  to  yield  an  inch  of  ground.  Almost  all  its 
ofticers  were  either  killed  or  wounded  ;  but  the  service 
rendered  by  those  brave  foreigners  was  great  indeed. 
Their  heroic  firmness  gave  time  for  the  battalion  of 
Apure  to  rally  and  return  to  the  charge,  while  two 
companies  of  Tiradores^  led  on  by  the  gallant  lleras, 
came  also  into  the  action.  The  enemy  at  last  yielded 
under  the  simultaneous  charge  of  the  bayonet  made 
by  these  different  corps  and  fell  back  upon  the  caval- 
ry for  support.  By  this  time  the  body-guard  of  Gen- 
eral Paez,  six  hundred  strong,  had  passed  the  ravine, 
and  charging  the  enemy's  horse  on  the  rear  of  its 
columns,  routed  them  completely  and  decided  the 
action  on  that  memorable  day.  Only  one  battalion, 
the  famous  Yalencey,  successfully  repelled  the  furious 
charges  of  the  patriot  cavalry,  which  pursued  the 
royalists  as  far  as  Valencia.  General  La  Torre,  with 
the  remnant  of  his  forces,  shut  himself  up  in  the  forti- 


334  WILD    SCENES  IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

fications  of  Puerto  Cabello,  which  were  finally  carried 
by  assault  on  the  7th  of  November  in  the  same  year 
by  General  Paez. 

The  victory  gained  at  Carabobo  was  complete  and 
brilliant,  decisive  of  the  fate  of  the  republic,  and 
glorious  to  the  brave  soldiers  of  Apure,  whose  favored 
leader  was  raised  by  Bolivar  to  the  rank  of  General-in- 
chief  on  the  field  of  battle — an  appointment  which 
was  subsequently  ratified  by  Congress  "  in  acknowl- 
edgment of  his  extraordinary  valor  and  military  vir- 
tues." 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

SCENES   AT  THE  PASS    OP   APUKITO. 

"When  we  were  apprised  that  every  tiling  was 
ready  at  the  pass,  we  moved  on  from  San  Pablo 
with  the  horses,  the  cattle  following  behind  by  easy 
marches,  to  allow  them  sufficient  time  to  graze  on  the 
rich  herbage  by  the  way. 

On  our  arrival  at  Apurito,  we  found  the  river 
quite  swollen  with  the  recent  showers  and  already 
extending  from  bank  to  bank.  The  first  business  was 
to  select  among  our  men  and  horses  the  strongest  and 
most  capable  of  enduring  the  fatigue  and  of  guiding 
through  the  boisterous  waves  of  the  Apure  the  various 
lots  into  which  the  cattle  were  divided  for  the  pur- 
pose. Our  next  step  was  to  assemble  at  the  pass  a 
sufficient  number  of  canoes  with  expert  paddlers  to 
act  in  concert  with  the  leading  men  and  horses,  by 
flanking  the  swimmers  in  the  river.  Two  long  pali- 
sades, running  parallel  down  to  the  bank  of  the  river 
and  narrowing  toward  the  water,  had  already  been 
constructed  ;  through  these  the  animals,  in  lots  of 
two  hundred  at  a  time,  were  driven  at  full  speed, 


336  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

with  deafening  shouts  and  earnest  goading,  while  two 
men,  stripped  naked  and  mounted  on  two  spirited 
horses  without  saddles,  headed  the  movement,  plung- 
ing headlong  into  the  river  pell-mell  with  the  cattle, 
which  were  thus  encouraged  to  swim  across.  A  herd 
of  tame  animals  was  stationed  on  the  opposite  shore 
to  incorporate  the  swimmers  as  they  came  out  of  the 
water.  Having  done  this,  the  leaders  swam  back  to 
procure  another  lot  of  animals,  a  feat  they  performed 
for  about  twenty  successive  times  in  the  course  of  the 
day.  Nevertheless,  the  task  was  not  so  easily  accom- 
plished as  was  practised  with  the  horses  ;  for  it  often 
happened  that  the  bulls  became  quite  refractory  and 
pugnacious,  in  which  case  the  men  in  the  canoes 
were  obliged  to  hold  them  by  the  horns,  dragging 
them  along  by  main  force  as  they  paddled  on ;  at 
other  times  the  beasts  got  alongside  of  the  leading 
men  and  horses,  and  then  the  danger  to  both  was  im- 
minent, the  bulls  attacking  them  in  the  water ;  thus 
many  valuable  horses  were  killed  by  these  infuriated 
animals,  while  the  men  had  several  narrow  escapes. 
What  with  savage  bulls,  electric  eels,  crocodiles  and 
caribes — not  to  mention  other  pernicious  creatures  of 
the  waters  and  the  broad  expanse  of  the  river  before 
them — the  task  of  these  bold  adventurers  is  truly  ap- 
palling ;  yet  they  go  to  work  and  accomplish  their 
task  with  a  willing  heart  and  a  perfect  nonchalance 
of  every  thing  around  them.  The  same  might  be 
said  also  in  regard  to  the  noble  steeds  which  share 
with  them  the  dangers  of  the  river,  acting  at  the 
same  time  the  part  of  floating  bridges  to  the  men, 
and  as  decoys  to  the  cattle  during  the  passage.    Their 


SCENES  AT  THE  PASS  OF  APURITO.       337 

powers  of  endurance,  in  this  instance,  are  the  more 
surprising,  inasmuch  as  thej  are  not  allowed  even  a 
few  moments'  rest  after  they  land,  being  kept  in 
constant  motion  the  whole  day. 

A  number  of  horsemen  with  lazos  were  also  sta- 
tioned along  the  shore  to  secure  those  bulls  which, 
eluding  the  vigilance  of  the  men  in  the  canoes,  suc- 
ceeded in  regaining  the  land ;  many  were  drowned, 
however,  in  the  attempt,  and  their  carcasses  aban- 
doned to  the  turkey-buzzards,  from  an  inherent  dis- 
gust among  the  people  of  the  Llanos  for  the  flesh  of 
animals  which  have  not  been  killed  in  the  usual  way. 
On  one  or  two  occasions,  the  whole  troop  rebelled 
against  their  drivers  and  succeeded  in  making  their 
escape  to  their  pasture  fields,  in  spite  of  the  horsemen 
on  shore ;  others,  after  reaching  the  sloping  banks 
across  the  river  below  the  pass,  were  arrested  in  their 
flight  by  the  overhanging  cliff's,  and  finally  hurled  to 
a  watery  grave  by  the  rapid  rise  of  the  river. 

Thus  the  cost  of  these  expeditions,  although  ex- 
ceedingly interesting  to  those  participating  in  the  ex- 
citement, is  sometimes  greater  than  the  profits  arising 
therefrom,  and  none  but  Llaneros,  who  are  accus- 
tomed to  live  on  beef  and  water,  ought  to  indulge  in 
this  truly  savage  business.  Our  loss  in  horses  alone, 
without  reckoning  the  expenses  of  the  expedition  and 
the  danger  to  flesh  and  bone,  amounted  on  this  occa- 
sion to  about  thirty  animals,  which  in  round  figures, 
setting  the  value  of  every  horse  at  the  minimum  price 
of  one  hundred  dollars,  would  make  the  sum  of  three 
thousand  dollars  ;  while  the  value  of  the  cattle  itself, 
many  of  which  were  also  lost  to  us,  could  hardly  be 
15 


338 


WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 


set  down  at  ^ve  dollars  a  head  at  tliat  epoch.  One 
of  the  horses  was  so  valuable,  that  our  Leader  re- 
quested the  Doctor  to  attend  the  w^ounded  animal  and 
endeavor  to  save  his  life  if  possible.  On  examination, 
it  was  found  that  his  bowels  were  partly  forced  out 
through  the  wound  ;  but  as  he  would  not  allow  any- 
body to  touch  him,  it  w^as  resolved  to  tie  his  feet ; 
then  passing  a  pole  through  the  legs  of  the  animal,  he 
was  lifted  from  the  ground  in  a  reverse  position,  to 
allow  the  Doctor  to  operate  more  conveniently.  It 
was  already  very  dark,  and  the  group  of  Llaneros 
lifting  the  patient,  with  others  holding  up  lighted 
torches  made  of  rags  and  tallow,  and  the  humorous 
Esculapius  leaning  over  the  struggling  beast,  pre- 
sented a  scene  ludicrous  in  the  extreme.  In  spite  of 
the  skill  with  wdiich  he  performed  the  operation,  and 
the  humane  care  of  the  owner,  the  horse  expired  the 
same  night. 


SCENES  AT  THE  PASS  OF  APURITO.       339 

Three  whole  days  were  spent  in  the  laborious  oc- 
cupation of  forcing  the  cattle  across  the  river.  I^or 
were  the  nights  less  diligently  employed  at  the  village 
in  the  more  entertaining  recreation  of  dancing,  flirt- 
ing and  gambling,  according  to  the  tastes  and  inclina- 
tions of  our  motley  assembly.  It  must  be  confessed, 
however,  that  the  latter  had  more  incentives  for  the 
people  of  that  pastoral  region  than  the  shepherd's 
reed  and  crook.  Occasionally  a  fight  would  occur 
during  these  nocturnal  revelries ;  but  this,  beyond 
some  hard  w^ords  and  brandishing  of  swords  and  dag- 
gers by  moonlight,  which  rather  added  to  the  pictur- 
esqueness  of  the  scene,  never  ended  in  any  thing  very 
serious. 

"  Calo  el  chapeo,  requirio  la  espada, 
Miro  al  soslayo,  fuese  y  no  hubo  nada." 

Tlie  river  was  now  rising  so  rapidly,  that  in  order 
to  reach  our  camp  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  village, 
we  were  obliged  to  place  canoes  across  the  main 
street  leading  to  it,  for  fear  of  coming  in  contact  with 
any  of  the  numerous  tenants  of  that  stream.  About 
this  time  the  fish,  conscious  of  the  approaching  inun- 
dation of  the  savannas,  commence  to  ascend  the  river 
in  search  of  those  places  best  suited  for  spawning ; 
and  so  great  is  the  number  of  those  that  seek  a  nup- 
tial rendezvous,  that  the  noise  they  make  in  the 
water  can  be  heard  at  some  distance  from  the  river. 
During  their  migration  the  water  becomes  so  tainted 
with  their  flavor,  that  it  is  imfit  to  drink  or  wash  in. 
Desirous  of  obtaining  some  live  specimens  for  sketch- 
ing, I  procured  a  tarraya^  or  throw  net,  which  I  re- 
quested one  of  our  men  to  launch  near  the  bank  ;  he 


34:0  "^^ILD   SCENES   IX  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

did  SO ;  but  when  he  tried  to  lift  it,  he  found  it  im- 
possible unassisted,  which  made  us  fear  that  the  net 
had  got  entangled  among  snags  at  the  bottom  of  the 
river.  A  companion  was  called  to  our  assistance,  and 
between  us  three,  we  soon  brought  it  up,  when,  to  my 
astonishment  and  delight,  I  found  the  net  full  of  cop- 
oros,  palometas^  and  other  delicacies  ;  the  caribes, 
however,  soon  rendered  it  perfectly  useless,  which 
circumstance  I  considered  a  misfortune,  as  I  could 
not  keep  the  fish  long  without  spoiling.  Next  day  I 
was  advised  by  one  of  the  villagers  to  place  three  or 
four  canoes,  partly  filled  with  water,  across  the  stream ; 
the  fish,  finding  their  progress  arrested  by  the  obstruc- 
tion, endeavored  to  jump  over ;  in  doing  which  they 
fell  in  the  canoes  by  hundreds.  Tlie  contrivance  suc- 
ceeded so  well,  that  every  morning  I  could  depend 
on  a  plentiful  supply,  both  for  my  sketch-book  and 
the  frying-pan.  My  attention  was  particularly  at- 
tracted this  time  by  a  large  fish  called  the  valenton^ 
from  its  great  strength  which,  as  I  was  informed, 
enables  him  to  drag  a  canoe  after  him  when  caught 
with  the  hook  and  line.  A  distressing  occurrence 
took  place  there  which  nearly  cost  the  life  of  a  young 
man  while  engaged  in  fishing  for  the  valenton.  The 
angler  and  a  friend  were  engaged  in  conversation, 
with  their  lines  thrown  carelessly  over  the  sides  of 
the  canoe,  when  the  fish  seized  the  bait  and  ran  off, 
as  he  is  in  the  habit  of  doing.  The  jerk  was  so  vio- 
lent, that  the  young  man  was  unable  to  hold  the  line,, 
and  allowed  it  to  slip  through  his  hands  ;  he  was  not 
aware  that  at  the  end  of  the  line  there  was  another 
hook,  which  buried  itself  in  the  thumb  of  his  right 


SCENES  AT  THE  PASS  OF  APURITO.  341 

hand  ;  the  next  moment  he  was  violently  pitched  in 
the  water  and  dragged  for  some  distance,  when  for- 
tunately the  line  broke,  and  he  was  picked  up  almost 
insensible  by  his  companion.  During  its  gambols  in 
the  river,  the  valenton  jumps  sometimes  three  feet 
clear  out  of  the  water,  raising  a  large  volume  of 
spray  and  striking  the  surface  with  its  powerful  tail 
in  its  fall ;  so  great  is  the  splash,  that  the  noise  can 
be  heard  a  great  distance  off,  especially  in  the  still- 
ness of  the  night,  when  the  fish  seems  to  be  more 
busily  engaged  in  hunting. 

Among  the  many  eventful  incidents  of  la  Inde- 
pendencia  still  fresh  in  the  memory  of  our  Leader, 
he  relates  an  anecdote  in  connection  with  the  Liherta- 
dor,  Simon  Bolivar,  in  which  both  these  champions 
of  freedom  participated  while  engaged  on  an  im- 
portant reconnoissance  during  the  rainy  season.  The 
savannas  being,  as  usual,  overflowed  for  the  most  part, 
and  there  being  no  other  means  of  transportation  than 
the  frail  canoes  of  the  country,  the  two  chieftains  were 
compelled  to  travel  in  one  of  these  over  their  inundated 
domain,  wath  the  assistance  of  tw^o  Indian  paddlers. 
Fish  were  so  numerous,  that  numbers  of  them,  dis- 
turbed by  the  strokes  of  the  paddles  against  the  sides 
of  the  canoe,  jumped  in  all  directions,  while  not  a  few 
fell  amidst  the  distinguished  passengers.  Tlie  Liber- 
tador  who,  like  almost  all  great  men,  had  also  his 
weak  points,  possessed  a  very  nervous  ten/{)erament, 
especially  about  little  things  ;  therefore  he  felt  quite 
uneasy  at  the  unceremonious  intrusion  from  the  finny 
inhabitants  of  his  swampy  realms,  whose  movements 
he  mistook  for  a  mischievous  propensity  on  their  part 


342  WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

to  attack  the  wayfarer.  On  the  other  hand,  our 
Leader,  who  was  always  ready  to  practise  a  good  joke, 
seized  the  opportunity  to  occasionally  tip  the  canoe  so 
as  to  make  it  ship  water,  and  more  fish  along  with  it. 
Whereupon  his  companion,  who  was  not  aware  of  the 
trick  practised  upon  him,  imagining  that  the  fish  were 
becoming  bolder  as  they  advanced,  exclaimed  in  utter 

despair,  "  J) n  it !  Companero,  let  us  pull  back,  for 

even  the  fish  are  savage  in  this  country." 

When  the  waters  subside,  thousands,  nay,  millions 
remain  struggling  in  the  ponds  and  little  pools,  left  on 
the  savannas,  where  they  soon  perish  and  rot  away, 
tainting  the  air  with  their  effluvium.  Some  of  them, 
like  the  ciirito,  a  species  of  Silurus,  covered  with  trans- 
verse plates  surrounding  the  body,  have  the  power  of 
living  buried  in  the  indurated  mud,  from  whence  they 
are  called  to  life  again  by  the  returning  showers. 
As  they  form  a  most  delicious  mess,  they  are  eagerly 
sought  by  men  and  women,  who  resort  to  these  places 
armed  with  wicker  baskets,  and  collect  great  numbers 
of  the  fish  before  they  are  carried  away  by  the  in- 
creasing inundation  of  the  savannas. 

A  very  singular  belief,  shared  likewise,  according 
to  Sir  Emerson  Tennent,  by  the  people  of  Ceylon, 
exists  in  the  Apure  respecting  fish  falling  from  the 
clouds.  Alluding  to  this  phenomenon,  that  ingenious 
Avriter  observes  :  "  Both  at  Galle  and  Colombo  in  the 
southwest  monsoon,  fish  are  popularly  believed  to 
have  fallen  from  the  clouds  during  violent  showers  ; 
but  those  found  on  the  occasions  that  give  rise  to  this 
belief,  consist  of  smallest  fry,  such  as  could  be  caught 
up  by  water  spouts  and  vortices  analogous  to  them, 


SCENES  AT  THE  PASS  OF  APURITO.  34.3 

or  otherwise  blown  on  shore  from  the  surf;  whereas 
tliose  which  suddenly  appear  in  the  replenished  tanks 
and  in  the  hollows  which  they  overflow,  are  mature 
and  w^ell-grown  fish.  Besides,  the  latter  are  found 
under  the  circumstances  I  have  described,  in  all  parts 
of  the  interior,  whilst  the  prodigy  of  a  supposed  fall 
of  fish  from  the  sky  has  been  noticed,  I  apprehend, 
only  in  the  vicinity  of  the  sea  or  of  some  inland 
water." 

Although  the  author  further  explains  the  phenom- 
enon on  the  supposition  that  some  fish  are  endowed 
with  the  power  of  locomotion  over  land,  while  others 
in  a  torpid  state  remain  buried  in  the  mud  until  the 
return  of  the  rainy  season  ;  yet,  I  have  been  assured 
by  reliable  persons  that  live  fish  have  been  picked  up 
in  places  w^iere  no  such  possible  contingencies  could 
occur ;  for  instance,  upon  the  roofs  of  houses  or  amidst 
wide  plains  far  from  running  water.  Most  of  those 
thus  found  are  small,  from  three  to  seven  inches 
long  ;  but  none  of  them  capable  of  living  more  than 
twenty  minutes  out  of  water ;  and  the  father  of  the 
w^riter  once  even  witnessed  a  fall  of  hocachicos^  a  fish 
which  seldom  lives  over  five  minutes  out  of  his  own 
element. 

Plaving  accomplished  our  task  as  well  as  could  be 
expected  from  such  a  primitive  mode  of  ferriage,  w^e 
transported  ourselves  and  chattels  across  the  broad 
stream,  and  immediately  commenced  our  slow  march 
over  the  prairies  ;  our  long  train  of  baggage  mules 
and  wild  beasts  necessitated  many  stoppages  by  the 
way  in  order  to  incorporate  stragglers,  but  more  fre- 
quently to  hunt  anew  the  runaways  among  the  latter. 


344  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

The  bulls  especially  showed  a  marked  reluctance  to 
leave  behind  their  bellowing  harems  in  the  everglades 
across  the  river.  Such  was  their  love  of  home  in  this 
respect,  that  we  were  assured  that  most  of  those 
which  succeeded  in  evading  our  pursuit,  made  their 
way  back  to  their  savannas  in  spite  of  the  broad  ex- 
panse of  water  which  separated  them.  Much  valu-' 
able  time  and  patience  were  lost  in  this  way,  while 
the  increasing  inundation  was  following  fast  on  our 
steps,  so  much  so,  that  long  after  we  had  left  the 
banks  of  the  river  on  our  rear,  we  had  to  wade  through 
a  continuous  sheet  of  water,  which  was  every  moment 
rising  above  the  fetlocks  of  our  beasts.  We  also  had 
to  ford  several  smaller  streams,  already  swollen  by 
the  rapid  rise  of  the  Apure ;  but,  as  no  canoes 
could  be  had  amidst  those  wilds,  for  love  or  money, 
we  availed  ourselves  of  the  primitive  contrivance 
devised  on  such  occasions  by  means  of  a  raw  hide 
fashioned  into  a  lighter.  Tlie  trunks  and  boxes 
were  carefully  piled  inside  the  skin,  and  if  a  person 
chose  to  avail  himself  of  this  frail  barge,  he  had  only 
to  sit  steadily  on  the  top  of  the  baggage ;  the  load 
was  then  carefully  launched  on  the  water,  the  other 
end  of  the  rope  intrusted  to  the  swimmer  and  towed 
in  safety  to  the  other  side.  In  this  manner  our  pon- 
derous Doctor  and  a  few  others  who  were  unwilling 
to  expose  their  own  skin  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the 
caribes,  were  successfully  ferried  across,  although  it 
required  a  steady  nerve  not  to  stir  an  inch  and  thus 
upset  the  whole  concern. 

Our  march  across  the  prairies  presented  a  splendid 
sight  and  was  suggestive  of  a  long  file  of  prisoners 


..,„„Miii,;;-«*J!;&lllii:' 


SCENES  AT  THE  PASS  OF  APURITO.       345 

after  a  well-contested  field  of  battle.  At  the  head  of 
the  column,  which  extended  for  upward  of  a  mile, 
marched  a  strong  picket  of  horsemen,  the  Punteros^ 
guiding  the  caravan  ;  and  on  the  sides  and  rear  was 
another  file  of  men  with  lazos  ready  to  unfold  after 
deserters.  Lively  tunes  and  whistling  were  kept  up 
by  the  men  for  the  diversion  of  the  cattle,  which  ap- 
peared quite  delighted  with  the  music  and  in  conse- 
quence became  less  restive  on  the  march. 

When  near  San  Jaime,  I,  together  with  a  party 
of  young  companions,  having  separated  ourselves 
from  the  rest  and  taken  another  route,  lost  ourselves 
in  the  intricate  passes  leading  to  the  village.  This 
circumstance,  although  it  delayed  us  for  some  time 
from  reaching  the  camp,  led  us  to  an  abundant  field 
of  rich  honey,  the  production  of  a  small  wasp  called 
matajey^  which  builds  its  nest  on  the  branches  of  the 
trees,  in  the  shape  of  a  large  ball.  The  sting  of  this 
insect  is  so  distressing,  that  persons  afiected  by  it  be- 
come feverish  and  benumbed ;  therefore,  in  order  to 
possess  ourselves  of  its  delicious  honey-combs,  we  took 
the  precaution  to  smoke  out  the  wasps  by  means  of  a 
burning  rag  at  the  end  of  a  long  pole  applied  to  the 
mouth  of  the  nest,  when  the  whole  swarm  abandoned 
it  to  the  hunters  without  molestation. 

It  was  almost  dark  when  we  arrived  at  San  Jaime, 
having  hit  accidentally  upon  the  right  path,  after 
w^andering  the.  whole  day  through  the  woods ;  but, 
^being  well  supplied  with  honey  and  water,  we  did  not 
regret  as  much  the  loss  of  our  dinner,  as  the  fact  of 
its  having  been  prepared  by  another  kind  of  swarm, 
but  this  time  of  pretty  girls,  who  had  assembled  for 
15* 


34:6  WILD    SCENES   IX    SOUTH    AMERICA. 

the  purpose  at  the  cottage  of  our  hospitable  host.  AVe 
enjoyed,  however,  the  pleasure  of  their  unsophisti- 
cated society  for  some  time  before  retiring  to  our  ham- 
mocks where,  fatigued  by  the  toils  of  our  previous  ad- 
venture, we  speedily  lost  ourselves  again  in  "  sweet, 
balmy  sleep." 

Being  rather  in  a  hurry  to  reach  the  pass  before  a 
sudden  rise  of  the  creeks  connected  with  the  river  Por- 
tuguesa,  we  were  up  long  before  sunrise,  and  had 
barely  time  to  partake  of  a  substantial  breakfast,  pre- 
pared by  our  charming  entertainers. 

Immediately  upon  our  arrival  at  the  pass,  we  pro- 
ceeded to  force  our  cattle  across  the  river,  which  being 
less  wide  than  the  Apure,  and  our  herds  having  be- 
come more  manageable  after  the  long  march,  we  were 
enabled  to  execute  it  in  better  order  and  less  time  than 
at  the  former  river.  Still  we  contrived  somehow  or 
other  to  tarry  here  longer  than  was  necessary,  having 
wasted  three  days  in  accomplishing  what  might  have 
been  the  work  of  one.  The  fact  is,  that  we  were 
rather  taken  up  with  our  former  feminine  acquaint- 
ances, especially  at  the  close  of  day,  w^ien  the  party 
assembled  in  the  barracoon,  destined  for  i\\Q  fandango, 
which  was  usually  kept  up  the  whole  night. 

Fitful  accompaniment  to  these  nocturnal  revelries 
was  the  deafen  in  oj  eroakinor  of  the  toads  and  frofifs, 
now  abounding  by  myriads  in  the  marshes  and  quag- 
mires of  the  vicinity.  The  shrill,  metallic  notes  of 
the  frogs,  and  the  hoarse  croaking  of  their  milky 
brethren,  are  a  feature  which  never  fails  to  excite 
the  astonishment  of  strangers  in  those  regions.  The 
former  especially  are  bo  striking,  that  were  an  English- 


SCENES  AT  THE  PASS  OF  APURITO.       347 

man  or  American  suddenly  transported  tliere,  without 
knowledge  of  these  sounds,  he  would  imagine  himself 
at  home,  in  the  neighborhood  of  ten  thousand  steam 
whistles.  I  was  assured  by  our  friend  B.,  with 
reference  to  the  toads  of  Guadarrama,  a  village  on 
the  banks  of  the  Portuguesa,  that  one  night  he  was 
thrown  down  in  the  street  by  coming  in  contact  with 
one  of  these  creatures,  which  he  mistook  for  a  boy  in 
a  stooping  posture.  Indignant  at,  what  he  supposed, 
the  indiscretion  of  the  fellow,  B.  was  in  the  act  of 
kicking  him  away  when,  to  his  surprise,  he  perceived 
the  seeming  boy  slowly  moving  off  in  the  shape  of  a 
big  toad ! 


CHAPTER    XXV. 

CALABOZO. 

"While  quietly  absorbed  one  day  in  the  pleasures 
of  the  angler  by  the  banks  of  a  creek  not  far  from  the 
camp,  I  was  startled  in  my  peaceful  occupation  by 
the  report  of  fire-arms  in  that  direction.  There  were 
rumors  concerning  the  depredations  of  a  band  of  rob- 
bers in  that  neighborhood,  and  therefore  I  had  every 
reason  to  suppose  they  had  been  bold  enough  to  at- 
tack our  little  band  of  resolute  men  with  a  view  to 
plundering  the  camp.  To  pack  up  lines  and  port- 
folio was  the  work  of  an  instant,  and  hurrying  toward 
the  camp,  I  arrived  breathless  and  panting  with  fa- 
tigue in  time  to  get  the  last  glimpses  of  the  cause  of 
this  uproar  in  the  shape  of  a  lancha  gliding  quickly 
down  the  river.  It  seems  that  the  boatmen,  delighted 
with  the  presence  of  the  beloved  Chieftain  of  the 
Llanos,  immediately  recurred  to  the  usual  way  of  ex- 
pressing their  enthusiasm,  whether  in  peace  or  war, 
through  the  means  of  the  all-potent  gunpowder.  In 
the  afternoon  of  the  same  day  a  detachment  of  horse, 
composed  for  the  most  part  of  citizens  from  Calabozo, 


CALABOZO.  349 

arrived  at  tlie  pass  to  invite  tlie  general  to  their  city, 
and  to  offer  liim  protection,  in  case  of  need,  from  the 
band  of  desperadoes  above  mentioned ;  these  had  al- 
ready been  bold  enough  to  attack  the  prison  guard  of 
Calabozo,  with  the  object  of  carrying  off  one  of  its 
inmates,  a  prominent  citizen  of  the  place  who  had 
been  implicated  in  the  robbery  of  a  large  drove  of 
mules.  Although  it  was  currently  reported  that  his 
two  sons  were  the  perpetrators  of  this  unworthy  act, 
yet,  the  fact  that  the  animals  were  found  on  his  estate, 
and  his  stout  refusal  to  implicate  his  sons,  made  him 
responsible  for  the  robbery ;  he  was  therefore  incar- 
cerated and  his  trial  had  commenced  when  his  sons, 
adding  sedition  to  theft,  attacked  the  prison  during 
the  night  with  a  band  of  peons  from  their  own  and 
other  cattle  estates.  The  result  was  most  disastrous 
to  the  assailants  ;  one  of  the  sons  having  been  badly 
wounded  in  the  strife  was  taken  prisoner  and  shot  in 
the  public  square ;  while  the  other  forfeited  his  life 
soon  after  during  the  vigorous  persecution  undertaken 
by  the  citizens  against  his  band.  Yet,  this  handful 
of  men,  badly  armed  and  without  leaders,  but  with  a 
wide  field  of  forest  and  savannas  for  retreat,  and 
plenty  of  cattle  for  subsistence,  continued  for  a  long 
time  to  engage  the  serious  attention  of  the  govern- 
ment ;  and  finally,  when  the  following  revolution 
broke  out,  they  formed  the  nucleus  around  which  the 
rebel  party  mustered  very  strong.  In  this  manner 
many  depredators  not  only  evade  the  punishment  of 
justice  for  their  crimes,  but  eventually  rise  in  impor- 
tance, and  even  become  leading  spirits  in  the  land 
where  the  laws  are  powerless  in  repressing  their  ex- 
cesses. 


350  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

With  this  encouraging  prospect  before  ns,  we  bade 
adieu  to  the  gay  brunettes  of  La  Portuguesa  and  took 
the  straightest  route  to  Calabozo,  across  the  great  es- 
tero  or  swamp  of  Camaguan.  An  entire  day  was 
spent  in  wading  through  this  refreshing  transit  route, 
which,  owing  to  the  increasing  rise  of  the  river,  had 
ah'eady  acquired  the  aspect  of  a  broad  lake.  Our 
horses  were  most  of  the  time  immersed  in  the  water 
up  to  the  saddle  girths,  and  few  of  them  escaped  total 
submersion,  wherever  there  were  any  depressions  of 
~the  ground.  Many  of  the  baggage  mules  especially, 
having  no  rider  to  guide  them,  lost  their  footing  and 
rolled  in  the  water,  to  the  great  discomfort  of  those 
who  had  any  articles  of  apparel  in  their  loads.  Tow- 
ard the  afternoon  we  emerged  from  this  dismal 
swamp  and  made  a  landing  at  a  place  called  Banco 
Largo,  celebrated  in  the  annals  of  the  horse  epidemic 
as  the  cattle  estate  upon  which  the  wrath  of  Heaven 
fell  after  the  blasphemous  boasting  of  its  owner. 

We  were  beginning  to  appreciate  the  comfort  of 
riding  again  upon  firm  ground,  when  we  observed  a 
group  of  horsemen  emerging  from  the  palmar  on  our 
right,  galloping  in  the  direction  of  our  scouts,  as  if 
threatening  to  cut  them  ofi*.  Fearing  lest  they  might 
be  the  band  of  robbers  whom  we  had  every  reason  to 
suspect  of  evil  intentions,  we  put  spurs  to  our  horses 
in  hot  chase  of  them.  Mistaking  us  in  turn  for  those 
gentry,  the  strangers  pushed  on  ahead  of  us  to  evade 
our  pursuit.  Our  scouts  observing  their  retreat  cut 
off  by  a  larger  force,  were  not  slow  in  their  endeavors 
to  reach  the  farm-house,  where  they  could  defend 
themselves   against  the  supposed  robbers  until  we 


CALABOZO.  351 

could  come  up  to  tlieir  assistance.  The  suspected 
party  being  mounted  on  fresh  horses,  we  found  it 
difficult,  however,  to  overtake  them.  Fortunately 
one  of  their  horses  stumbled  accidentally  in  a  hole, 
throwing  down  the  rider,  which  circumstance  placed 
him  in  our  hands  ;  from  him  we  ascertained  that  they 
were  not  salteadoi^es^  but  vaqueros  from  a  neighboring 
cattle  farm,  whom  the  annoyances  of  the  mosquilla 
had  compelled  to  ride  through  the  palmar  at  robber's 
speed.  His  companions  observing  that  we  permitted 
him  to  depart  in  peace,  now  slackened  their  pac^, 
and  had  their  fears  dispelled  before  they  could  carry 
the  alarm  to  other  places  that  the  salteadores  were 
close  at  hand. 

At  Yenegas,  a  cattle  State  not  far  from  Calabozo, 
we  parted  company  with  our  herds,  abandoning  their 
care  and  guidance  to  the  efficient  cap  orals,  while  we 
proceeded  direct  to  the  Palmyra  of  the  Llanos,  always 
escorted  by  the  citizen-guard  who  had  come  so  far  to 
meet  us.  Another  deputation  from  the  city,  com- 
posed of  the  most  prominent  persons  in  the  place,  met 
us  at  the  pass  of  the  Guarico,  and  after  a  few  congrat- 
ulatory compliments,  we  rode  on  without  stopping 
until  we  reached  the  village  of  the  Mision  de  Abajo. 
Here  we  remained  long  enough  to  change  our  wet 
garments  and  partake  of  a  collation  prepared  at  the 
summer  residence  of  an  old  soldier  of  Independence. 
This  village  is  famous  on  account  of  several  crystalline 
springs  issuing  from  deep  gullies  made  by  the  water 
on  a  hard  conglomerate  composed  of  sand,  pebbles, 
and  nodules  of  beautiful  agates  ;  the  whole  cemented 
together  by  a  calcareous  substance,  consisting  probably 


352  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

of  minute  shells  of  infusoria.*  Some  of  the  pools 
measure  several  fathoms  in  depth ;  yet  the  water  is 
so  transparent,  that  the  smallest  pebble  can  be  clearly 
discerned  at  the  bottom ;  I  also  noticed  many  small 
fish.  These  sparkling  natural  fountains  were  shaded 
by  groves  of  balsamiferous  plants,  such  as  copaiferas, 
amyris,  and  carob-trees,  the  dark  foliage  of  which 
"was  relieved  by  a  carpet  of  green  grass  extending  for 
miles  around,  the  whole  presenting  an  appearance  of 
a  well-cultivated  and  beautifully  laid  out  English 
park.  Thither  resort,  during  the  sultry  months  of 
summer,  the  inhabitants  of  Calabozo,  who  now  came 
out  in  vast  numbers  to  welcome  us  to  their  beautiful 
city. 

The  procession  was  formed  on  the  extensive  nat- 
ural lawn,  three  miles  in  length,  between  the  village 
and  the  city,  which  rose  in  the  distance  amidst  the 
towering  foliage  of  the  fan-palms  surrounding  it  in 
oriental  magnificence.  As  we  entered  the  narrow, 
but  cleanly  streets,  the  firing  of  muskets,  pistols,  and 
blunderbusses  commenced  amidst  the  mvas  of  the 
population,  while  a  shower  of  roses  fell  on  the  favored 
head  of  the  "  Lion  of  the  Llanos,"  f  as  he  passed  under 
the  windows  of  the  houses. 

The  city  of  Calabozo,  capital  of  the  province  of 
El  Guarico,  is  situated  upon  the  northern  extremity 
of  the  mesa  or  plateau  of  the  same  name,  command- 

*  See  Darwin,  Geology  of  the  Pampas,  pp.  129-1*71.    Murray,  1852. 

f  Leon  de  los  Llanos,  or  Leon  de  Payara — the  appellation  given  to 
General  Paez  by  the  people  after  the  action  of  San  Juan  de  Payara  in 
1837,  when  he  defeated  with  his  body-guard  of  sixty  Llaneros  the  forces 
of  the  rebel  chieftain  Farfan,  numbering  one  thousand. 


CALABOZO.  353 

ing  an  extensive  view  of  tlie  picturesque  country 
watered  by  tlie  beautiful  river  which  gives  its  name 
to  the  province.  Unlike  all  the  other  towns  of  the 
Llanos,  Calabozo  is  an  extremely  well-built  city,  with 
streets  running  at  right  angles.  The  houses  are  neat 
and  commodious,  ranking  with  the  best  in  the  capital 
of  the  republic.  It  contains  a  number  of  fine  churches, 
one  of  which  was  built  at  the  expense  of  a  wealthy^ 
cattle  proprietor  of  the  place ;  it  is  one  of  the  finest 
temples  in  the  country. 

TVords  cannot  do  justice  to  the  enthusiastic  recej^ 
tion  and  boundless  hospitality  extended  to  us  on  this 
occasion  by  the  generous  inhabitants.  In  addition  to 
the  regular  entertainments,  such  as  breakfast  and 
dinner-parties,  balls,  andfajidangos  provided  daily  in 
their  city  residences,  we  were  occasionally  treated  to 
a  J'ete  champetre,  a  la  llanera,  in  their  quintas  or 
country-houses.  Most  of  these  are  situated  on  the 
banks  of  the  beautiful  Guarico,  on  the  slopes  of  the 
plateau  upon  which  the  city  is  built ;  and  there, 
amidst  the  most  luxuriant  groves  of  orange,  lemon, 
and  other  tropical  fruits,  the  abundant  fare  was  served 
to  us  in  true  Llanero  style.  In  the  mean  time  the  tro- 
vatori  of  the  Llanos  did  not  fail  to  enliven  the  scene 
with  their  never-ending  trovas  llaneras^  in  which  espe- 
cial mention  was  made  of  the  most  prominent  persons 
to  whom  we  were  indebted  for  this  munificent  hospi- 
tality ;  but  more  particularly  to  the  past  deeds  of  the 
personage  who  prompted  it.  Tlie  broad  fan-shaped 
leaves  of  the  moriche--psi\m.  (Mauritia  flexuosa) — the 
celebrated  Tree  of  Life  of  the  Warraoun  Indians — 
supplied  the  most  appropriate  table-cloths  on  these 


354:  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

occasions,  spread  in  the  vicinity  of  some  murmuring 
spring,  issuing  in  most  cases  from  the  foot-  of  the 
palm-trees.  The  natives  believe  that  this  plant  pos- 
sesses the  power  of  pumping  water  from  the  ground 
bj  means  of  its  matted  roots :  they  evidently  con- 
found cause  and  effect  in  this,  as  well  as  in  many 
other  cases ;  for  this  luxuriant  palm  will  not  thrive 
except  in  moist  ground.  The  slopes  of  the  mesa  act- 
ing as  a  vast  drain  to  the  plain  above,  offer  this  de- 
sideratum to  the  moTiche-^^hn.,  Some  of  the  springs 
are  of  a  thermal  character,  but  not  too  warm  to  pre- 
vent persons  enjoying  a  most  refreshing  bath.  I 
noticed,  in  one  instance,  two  springs  running  side  by 
side,  one  of  which  was  cold  and  the  other  warm.  The 
tide-flooded  lands  on  the  Lower  Orinoco  and  Amazon 
rivers  seem  to  be  particularly  adapted  to  the  develop- 
ment of  this  noble  *  species  of  palm.  "  In  those 
places,"  says  Wallace,  f  "  there  is  no  underwood  to 
break  the  view  among  interminable  ranges  of  huge 
columnar  trunks,  rising  unbroken  by  branch  or  leaf 
to  the  height  of  eighty  or  a  hundred  feet,  a  vast  nat- 
ural temple,  which  does  not  yield  in  grandeur  and 
sublimity  to  those  of  Palmyra  or  Athens." 

A  full-grown  leaf  of  this  tree  is  quite  a  load  for 
one  man  to  carry.  The  petiole,  or  leaf-stock,  is  a  solid 
beam  ten  or  twelve  feet  long,  while  the  leaf  or  fan 
itself  measures  nine  or  ten  across.  The  fruit,  in 
bunches  of  three  hundred  and  upward,  perfectly  re- 
sembles the  cones  of  the  white  pine.     "When  arrived  at 

*  Linneus,  in  his  enthusiasm  for  the  splendid  family  of  palms,  calls 
them  the  princes  of  the  vegetable  kingdom, 
f  Palms  of  the  Amazon  and  Rio  Negro. 


CALABOZO.  355 

its  maturity,  it  is  yellow  within  and  scarlet  without, 
covered  with  scales. 

The  benefits  of  this  life-supporting  tree  may  be 
reckoned  as  numerous  as  the  number  of  days  in  the 
year.  From  the  unopened  leaves  the  wild  man  of  the 
forest  obtains  a  fibre  remarkable  for  its  toughness,  and 
which  he  twists  into  cordage  for  his  bow-string  and 
fishing  tackle,  or  weaves  it  into  elegant  hammocks 
and  aprons  for  himself  and  family ;  he  also  plats  them 
neatly  into  mats  and  cloaks,  and  even  sails  for  his 
canoe ;  when  fully  expanded,  these  leaves  form  the 
best  thatch  for  his  hut.  From  the  terminal  bud  or 
inner  layer  of  leaves,  commonly  styled  the  cabbage 
of  the  palm,  the  Indian  procures  a  vegetable  quite 
analogous  to,  and  more  tender  and  delicious  than  a 
similar  production  of  the  garden.  The  fruit  in  like 
manner  affords  a  ^variety  of  alimentary  substances,  ac- 
cording to  the  season  in  which  it  is  gathered,  whether 
its  saccharine  pulp  is  fully  mature,  or  whether  it  is  in 
a  green  state.  Like  the  plantain  and  the  celebrated 
peach-palm  of  the  Rio  Negro,  it  is  either  eaten  raw, 
when  fully  ripe,  or  roasted — in  the  latter  case  tasting 
very  much  like  chestnuts.  Soaked  in  water  and  al- 
lowed to  ferment,  it  forms  a  pleasant  drink  somewhat 
resembling  pulque.  The  ripe  fruit  also  yields  by  boil- 
ing in  water,  an  oil  which  is  readily  converted  into 
soap  by  means  of  the  ashes  of  a  Clusia,  {guiripiti.) 
"  The  spathe,  too — a  fibrous  bag  which  envelops  the 
fruit  before  maturity — is  much  valued  by  the  Indian, 
furnishing  him  with  an  excellent  and  durable  cloth. 
Taken  off*  entire,  it  forms  bags  in  which  he  keeps  the 
red  paint  for  his  toilet,  or  the  silk  cotton  for  his  ar- 


356  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

rows,  or  he  even  stretclies  out  the  larger  ones  to  make 
himself  a  cap,  cunningly  woven  by  nature  without  a 
seam  or  joining.  .When  cut  open  longitudinally  and 
pressed  fiat,  it  is  used  to  preserve  his  delicate  feather 
ornaments  and  gala  dresses,  which  are  kept  in  a  chest 
of  plaited  palm-leaves  between  layers  of  smooth  hussu 
cloth."  *  The  trunk  of  the  male  tree  contains  a  fari- 
naceous meal,  yuruma^  resembling  sago,  and  like  the 
fecula  of  the  tapioca-root,  it  is  readily  converted  into 
bread  by  simply  drying  it  on  hot  earthen  plates. 
Allowed  to  rot  in  the  stem,  this  meal  gives  birth  to 
numerous  fat  worms,  highly  esteemed  by  Indian  gour- 
mands. Tapped  near  the  base  of  the  leaves,  the  trunk 
yields  also  an  abundance  of  a  sweet  liquor,  which, 
when  fermented,  forms  one  of  the  various  kinds  of 
palm-wines.  Such  are  in  substance  some  of  the  most 
useful  products  of  this  veritable  tree  of  life,  with  which 
the  existence  of  a  rude  people  is  as  intimately  con- 
nected, as  that  of  civilized  man  is  with  the  luxuries 
and  comforts  that  surround  his  home.  "  "When  the 
Tamanacks,"  says  Humboldt,  "  are  asked  how  the 
human  race  survived  the  great  deluge,  the  '  age  of 
water '  of  the  Mexicans,  they  say :  '  a  man  and  a 
woman  saved  themselves  on  a  high  mountain,  called 
Tamanacu,  situated  on  the  banks  of  the  Asiberu,  and 
casting  the  fruit  of  the  moriche-palm,  they  saw  the 
seeds  contained  in  these  fruits  produce  men  and 
women  who  repeopled  the  earth.'  Thus  "sve  find  in 
all  its  simplicity,  among  nations  now  in  a  savage 
state,  a  tradition  which  the  Greeks  embellished  with 
all  the  charms  of  imagination." 

*  Wallace,  Palms  of  the  Amazon  and  Rio  Negro. 


CALABOZO.  357 

To  protect  themselves  from  the  attacks  of  mosqui- 
toes and  wild  beasts,  the  tribes  roaming  over  the 
great  delta  of  the  Orinoco,  are  in  the  habit  of  raising 
between  the  huge  trunks  of  the  palm-trees  hanging 
platforms  skilfully  interwoven  with  the  foliage,  which 
allow  them  to  live  in  the  trees  like  monkeys.  The 
floor  of  these  aerial  habitations  is  covered  with  a  coat- 
ing of  mud,  on  which  the  fires  for  household  purposes 
are  made.  Thus  when  the  first  explorers  of  the  Orino- 
co River  penetrated  for  the  first  time  into  that  exu- 
berant tevTOb  incognita^  they  were  surprised  to  observe, 
among  the  tops  of  the  palm-trees,  flames  issuing  at 
night  as  if  suspended  in  the  air.  "  The  Guaranis  still 
owe'  the  preservation  of  their  physical,  and  perhaps 
their  moral  independence,  to  the  half-submerged, 
marshy  soil  over  which  they  roam  with  a  light  and 
rapid  step,  and  tq  their  elevated  dwellings  in  the 
trees,  a  habitation  never  likely  to  be  chosen  from 
motives  of  religious  enthusiasm  by  an  American  Sty- 
lites."  * 

I  also  met  for  the  first  time  at  Calabozo  with  the 
most  splendid  rose-bush,  or  rather  tree,  I  had  ever 
seen,  and  w^hich  appears  to  be  indigenous  to  that  hot 
region,  as  I  am  told  that  the  same  grows  in  great 
luxuriance  at  San  Fernando  and  Ciudad  Bolivar,  but 
was  unknown  to  the  rest  of  the  country  previous  to 
our  visit  to  the  Llanos.  Being  passionately  fond  of 
flowers  myself,  I  did  not  neglect  to  bring  along  with 
me  this  beautiful  new  variety  to  our  home  in  the 
Yalleys  of  Aragua,  where  it  soon  displayed  its  count- 

*  The  followers  of  a  sect  founded  in  Syria  by  the  fanatical  pillar- 
saint,  Simeon  Sinanites. — Humboldt. 


358  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

less  blossoms  to  the  admiring  gaze  of  the  passers  by. 
From  thence  it  was  also  carried  by  me  to  Caracas, 
where  it  soon  became  the  general  favorite  of  the  fair 
dames  of  the  Capital,  who  by  unanimous  accord 
named  it,  not  as  might  be  supposed  after  the  intro- 
ducer, but  after  his  father,  with  which  the  former  was 
equally  well  satisfied ;  and  certainly  no  more  beauti- 
ful compliment  could  have  been  paid  their  favorite 
champion,  than  by  associating  his  name  with  the 
acknowledged  Queen  of  Beauty  among  flowers.  The 
size  attained  by  this  plant  surpasses  any  thing  of  the 
kind  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  When  favored  by 
a  dry  and  hot  climate  like  that  of  Calabozo,  its  shoots 
attain  a  height  of  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  with  a  cor- 
responding thickness ;  so  that  a  hammock  with  its 
usual  load  can  be  supported  between  two  trees  ;  and 
as  these  put  out  a  great  number  of  branches,  each  of 
them  loaded  with  flowers  or  buds  ready  to  expand, 
they  present  a  sight  truly  splendid.  A  hundred  blos- 
soms may  be  plucked  each  morning  of  the  year  with- 
out marring  its  luxuriant  beauty.  I  have  myself 
counted  over  one  thousand  buds  on  a  single  plant. 
These  flowers  are  of  a  delicate  pink  color,  with  very 
regular  petals  of  a  deciduous  nature ;  so  that  in  de- 
taching themselves  from  the  calix,  they  cover  the 
groimd  upon  which  the  parent  grows,  with  a  rosy 
carpet. 

"  Sin  flores  y  sin  hermosas 
Qu6  fuera  de  los  mortales  ? 
Bien  habeis  nacido,  rosas, 
Sobre  el  lodo  de  los  males." 

— Aeolas. 


CALABOZO.  359 

TRANSLATION. 

"  "Without  beauty,  without  flowers, 
"What  would  be  this  world  of  ours  ? 
"Well,  that  e'en  in  misery  dire 
Find  we  roses  'mid  the  mire." 

The  tnitli  of  the  above  sentiment  we  soon  realized ; 
from  this  time  a  succession  of  misfortunes,  commencing 
with  a  violent  attack  of  fever  which  nearly  carried  us 
all  to  the  grave,  and  ending  with  the  destruction  of 
our  property  and  peaceful  homes,  followed  one  another 
without  intermission. 

The  fever  was  doubtless  induced  by  our  previous 
exposure  on  the  journey  and  subsequent  dissipations 
at  Calabozo,  although  the  city  itself  is  one  of  the 
healthiest  spots  in  the  republic.  Unfortunately,  our 
physician,  who  was  blessed  with  a  very  jealous  wife, 
had  been  summoned  home  by  his  better  half  on  hear- 
ing of  our  approach  to  the  fairy  metropolis  of  the 
Llanos.  However,  there  were  two  or  three  medical 
gentlemen  in  the  place,  and  these,  with  the  unremit- 
ting kindness  and  assistance  of  the  ladies,  managed 
to  keep  us  alive  until  a  skilful  physician,  who  had 
been  sent  for,  arrived  from  the  Yalleys  of  Aragua. 
The  critical  condition  of  our  respected  Leader  and  sire 
particularly  gave  them  serious  fears,  as  the  fever  in 
his  case  had  commenced  to  assume  a  malignant  char- 
acter. Courier  after  courier  was  despatched  across 
the  miry  plains  to  hasten  the  arrival  of  the  doctor, 
while  the  generous  inhabitants  vied  with  each  other 
in  the  anxious  cares  with  which  they  surrounded  the 
sick-bed  of  their  beloved  guest.  Years  have  rolled 
on,  and  many  changes  have  since  taken  place,  both 


§60  ^^^^  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA, 

in  the  affairs  of  the  nation  and  in  the  fortunes  of  the 
subject  of  these  remarks ;  yet,  their  love  for  the 
"  Martyr  of  San  Antonio,"  *  far  from  diminishing, 
seems  to  have  increased  during  his  protracted  exile  ; 
for,  as  I  write  these  lines,  a  petition  addressed  to  the 
actual  President  of  the  republic  demanding  his  recall, 
and  signed  by  all  the  inhabitants  of  Calabozo,  has 
come  to  hand,  protesting  in  the  strongest  terms  against 
the  impolicy  and  injustice  of  leaving  him  still  in  exile 
when  the  nation  most  needs  his  counsel  and  influence. 
Justly  deprecating  the  horrors  of  civil  war  and  the 
want  of  unity  which  have  existed  in  the  republic  since 
the  downfall  of  the  Monagas  party,  the  petitioners 
conclude  with  this  feeling  outburst  of  patriotic  solici- 
tude for  the  absence  of  their  favorite  champion: 
"  From  the  far-off  shores  of  the  Arauca,  to  the  sources 
of  our  own  Guarico,  our  anxious  horsemen  watch  in- 
cessantly the  far  horizon,  inquire  from  the  passing 
breezes  of  the  destinies  of  the  Hero,  who  has  con- 
demned himself  to  voluntary  exile,  and  then  exclaim 
with  a  sigh  :  '  "Were  he  again  to  lead  us  on  to  battle, 
Victory  would  be  forthcoming,  strengthened  by  Peace, 
and  blessed  by  the  vanquished.'  " 

*  San  Antonioj  an  old  castle  in  Cumana,  where  General  Paez  was 
kept  in  durance  for  nine  months  by  the  late  ruler  of  Venezuela,  General 
Jose  T.  Monagas. 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

CARACAS. 

When  sufficiently  convalescent  to  proceed  on  our 
journey,  we  left  Calabozo  for  the  Valleys  escorted  by 
every  man  who  had  a  horse  to  carry  him.  At  Mor- 
rocoyes  we  parted  company  with  our  numerous  ret- 
inue, and  hastened  home  before  the  fever  should  re- 
appear, as  is  often  the  case ;  and  indeed,  no  sooner 
had  we  recovered  in  some  measure  the  fatigue  of  the 
journey,  than  this  terrible  scourge  again  attacked  us 
with  renewed  violence.  Our  leader  especially  was  so 
prostrated  by  it,  that  little  hope  was  entertained  of 
his  recovery.  He  survived,  however,  to  be  recalled 
to  the  field  in  consequence  of  serious  disturbances  oc- 
casioned by  that  bone  of  contention  in  our  unhappy 
republics — Presidential  elections.  The  Guzmancistas 
or  followers  of  Guzman — the  ambitious  politician  al- 
ready alluded  to — fearing  to  risk  the  constitutional 
elections,  resolved  to  carry  them  by  force.  With  this 
object,  Guzman  collected  in  Caracas  an  immense  rab- 
ble at  the  head  of  which  he  marched  toward  Mar- 
ie 


362  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

acay,  ostensibly  upon  some  trifling  pretext,  but  act- 
ually in  the  hope  of  first  securing  the  person  of  the 
General,  and  then  joining  some  scattered  bands  across 
the  lake.  I  have  mentioned  (in  the  fourth  chapter  of 
this  narrative)  how  he  succeeded  in  enticing  the  lower 
classes  to  join  him  by  false  promises  of  rewards  in  the 
shape  of  bounty  lands  at  the  expense  of  the  indus- 
trious few  who  did  not  side  with  him.  Remission  of 
old  scores  of  debts,  pending  judgments  for  various 
crimes  and  the  freedom  of  the  slaves,  were  included 
in  his  grand  pi-ogramme. 

We  were  at  dinner  in  the  plantation  when  the 
General  received  a  government  despatch  appointing 
him  to  the  command  of  the  army,  but  this  being  a 
myth,  no  standing  force  of  any  account  existing  in 
Yenezuela  previous  to  these  troubles,  the  General-in- 
Chief  mustered  again  his  late  band  of  devoted  attend- 
ants and  a  few  friends  from  Maracay,  who  rallied 
round  him  on  hearing  of  the  approaching  phalanx  of 
Guzmancistas.  The  appointment  did  not  arrive  an 
hour  too  soon ;  for,  as  we  were  engaged  in  answer- 
ing the  despatches,  information  was  received  of  a 
large  force  of  negroes  descending  on  the  Valleys  from 
the  mountains  called  La  Sierra  across  the  lake. 

Though  still  enfeebled  by  our  late  illness,  we  were 
compelled  to  march  all  night  under  a  drenching  rain 
and  through  mud  reaching  to  our  horses'  bellies,  in 
search  of  the  marauders,  who  had  already  been  re- 
pulsed from  Yilla  de  Cura.  We  met  them  at  the  vil- 
lage of  Magdaleno,  whence  we  dislodged  them  after 
a  sharp  engagement.  General  Paez  very  narrowly 
escaped  a  shot  from  a  blunderbuss  fired  so  closely 


CARACAS.  363 

upon  liim,  as  to  sprinkle  his  blouse  with  the  nnbumed 
powder.  The  swiftness  of  his  horse,  which  dashed 
forward  at  the  moment,  saved  his  rider  from  perhaps 
an  untimely  death.  Protected  by  the  mountains,  the 
insurgents  collected  again  in  a  few  weeks,  and  de- 
scending on  the  plains,  tried  their  fortunes  against 
Calabozo,  but  were  met  by  the  citizens  at  a  place 
called  Limon,  near  San  Pablo,  and  totally  routed.^ 
We  arrived  shortly  afterward  in  time  to  assist  in  their 
dispersion,  and  succeeded  in  securing  some  of  the 
leaders,  among  others  the  famous  Jose  Urbano,  al- 
ready mentioned.  Guzman  and  his  formidable  rab- 
ble, in  the  mean  time,  considering  discretion  the 
better  part  of  valor,  concluded  to  postpone  their 
threatened  attack  on  the  oligarcas  of  Maracay,  and 
returned  to  that  hotbed  of  sedition  and  revolution, 
Caracas,  to  await  their  opportunity.  The  govern- 
ment, however,  as  a  precautionary  measure,  and  with 
abundant  proofs  of  their  criminality,  ordered  the  ar- 
rest of  the  most  pi-ominent  ringleaders,  whereupon  all 
fears  of  an  outbreak  at  the  capital  were  dispelled. 
But  it  was  soon  discovered  that  the  insurrection  had 
its  ramifications  in  various  parts  of  the  province, 
especially  among  the  wild  regions  of  the  east,  bor- 
dering the  plains  of  Barcelona.  For  the  suppression 
of  this  faction.  General  Jose  T.  Monagas,  for  a  long 
time  the  hHe  noire  of  that  section,  was  appointed 
second  in  command  of  the  army ;  and  such  was  the 
energy  displayed  by  him  on  the  occasion,  that  he  cap- 
tured and  executed  in  a  few  days  the  greater  part  of 
his  opponents.  On  the  other  hand,  the  General-in- 
Chief,  finding  no  more  enemies  to  conquer,  freed  all 


364:  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

his  prisoners,  excepting  the  leaders,  who  were  reserved 
for  trial  by  the  proper  authorities,  and  returned  to  his 
home  in  the  Yallejs  of  Aragua.  Strenuous  efforts 
had  been  made  by  his  friends  during  his  absence  to 
secure  his  election  to  the  Presidency,  although  he  had 
repeatedly  manifested  through  the  press  and  in  his 
private  correspondence  his  unwillingness  to  serve  for 
a  third  period.  Finding,  however,  that  his  fellow- 
citizens  still  persisted  in  their  efforts,  he  decided  to 
quit  his  country,  that  he  might  be  thereby  disquali- 
fied for  ofiice.  On  this  decision  becoming  known,  it 
was  finally  agreed  to  elect  Monagas,  then  at  Barce- 
lona, and  we  proceeded  to  Caracas  for  the  purpose  of 
receiving  him. 

The  elevation  of  this  individual  to  the  Presidency 
of  the  Republic,  although  he  had  only  figured  until 
then  as  a  guerilla  chief  and  the  sworn  enemy  of  con- 
stitutional rights,  was  considered  at  the  time  a  stroke 
of  policy,  hoping  thus  to  satisfy  his  grasping  ambi- 
tion, which  had  ever  aspired  to  the  chief  place  of  the 
nation.  How  he  acquitted  himself  in  his  new  trust, 
the  murdered  members  of  the  Congress  which  ele- 
vated him  will  show. 

We  arrived  in  the  capital  amidst  the  greatest 
manifestations  of  popular  favor  and  respect  to  the 
General-in-Chief.  The  streets  were  crowded  with 
people  of  all  parties  and  conditions.  The  loveliest 
ladies  were  deputed  to  present  crowns  of  laurel  to 
our  Leader,  while  from  the  windows  and  balconies 
hung  garlands  and  festoons  of  the  most  exquisite 
flowers,  and  banners  inscribed  with  appropriate  mot- 
toes and  devices.     Every  street  corner  was  spanned 


CAKACAS. 


365 


366  WILD    SCENES    IN   SOUTU  AMERICA. 

by  triumphal  arches,  tastefully  decorated  with  flags 
and  allegorical  paintings,  among  them  the  portraits 
of  Bolivar  and  Paez  were  conspicuous.  The  air  re- 
sounded with  the  acclamations  of  the  populace  and 
the  bursting  of  rockets  fired  almost  from  under  our 
horses'  feet,  while  so  densely  crowded  were  the  streets, 
as  to  render  our  progress  through  them  all  but  im- 
possible. Yet  the  same  multitude  which  then  shouted 
its  enthusiastic  vivas  to  ''  the  disinterested  patriot," 
a  year  later  demanded  his  head  from  the  tyrant  Mo- 

nagas 

A  splendid  collation  had  been  prepared  by  the  cit- 
izens of  Caracas  in  the  spacious  corridors  of  the  Gen- 
eral's house,  while  the  cellars  were  stocked  with  the 
choicest  wines  and  delicacies.  It  was  well  understood 
throughout  the  city  that  Monagas  and  his  troop  of 
demi-savages — still  at  Barcelona  plotting  the  ruin  of 
the  republic — were  to  be  the  guests  of  General  Paez  un- 
til a  suitable  house  was  prepared  for  them.  However, 
the  new  President  delayed  his  coming,  and  this  delay 
was  the  more  ominous,  from  the  fact  that  the  country 
was  yet  in  a  very  unsettled  condition.  Many  of  the 
ringleaders  in  the  late  insurrection  were  still  at  large, 
and  the  gang  of  La  Sierra  had  again  shown  itself  in 
great  force  led  by  Kangel,  a  bold  half-breed,  once  the 
follower  of  Cisneros,  another  Indian  bandit,  who, 
under  pretence  of  fighting  for  Spain,  had  held  the 
neighborhood  of  Caracas  in  terror  during  eleven 
years.  But,  as  is  often  the  case  in  countries  involved 
in  civil  war,  the  tables  were  now  turned,  and  this 
former  terror  of  the  mountains  became  the  most  efii- 
cient  instrument  in  the  suppression  of  the  lawless 


CARACAS.  36Y 

hordes  then  roving  the  inaccessible  mountain  passes 
of  La  Sierra.  He  was  accordingly  intrusted  by  the 
General-in-Chief  with  their  extermination,  although 
it  must  be  confessed  he  occasionally  evinced  a  some- 
what dangerous  partiality  to  his  old  ally,  Rangel — 
while  we  remained  at  Caracas  awaiting  from  day  to 
day  the  advent  of  the  future  renegade,  Monagas. 

The  manner  in  which  the  savage  Indian  chief  was 
converted  from  a  merciless  brigand  into  a  submissive 
slave  of  General  Paez's  will  is  rather  singular,  and 
therefore  I  may  be  permitted  to  give  it  place  among 
these  Wild  Scenes.  Although  the  power  of  Spain, 
under  whose  banner  he  claimed  to  wage  a  fierce  war 
against  society,  had  been  non  est  in  Venezuela  for 
many  years,  he  continued  to  harasa  the  best  troops  in 
the  republic  during  all  that  time,  until  General  Paez, 
finding  it  impossible  to  capture  him  by  force,  erdeav- 
ored  to  subdue  him  by  gentle  dealing.  A  son  of  the 
bandit,  a  lad  of  seven  or  eight  years,  had  been  cap- 
tured by  the  troops  and  sent  as  a  trophy  to  the  Gen- 
eral. The  little  savage  was  so  wild,  that  no  one  dared 
to  approach  him  :  his  teeth  and  claws,  for  such  seemed 
his  long  and  sharp-nailed  fingers,  would  have  torn  in 
a  moment  the  friendly  hand  extended  to  caress  or 
touch  him;  therefore  his  baptism,  until  then  neg- 
lected, was  postponed  till  he  became  more  tract- 
able. The  General  himself  stood  his  godfather,  and 
one  of  the  ladies  in  the  family  as  godmother.  The 
little  Christianized  savage  was  now  sent  to  boarding- 
school  in  company  with  the  other  children  of  his  god- 
father, and  treated  in  all  respects  as  one  of  them. 
Wlien  intelligence  of  his  son's  good  fortune  reached 


368  WILD   SCENES    IN    SOUTH    AMERICA. 

the  ears  of  Cisneros,  who  had  hitherto  supposed  him 
dead,  the  old  bandit  was  so  moved  that  he  sent  a 
letter  of  thanks  by  one  of  his  wives  to  his  compadre, 
protesting  nevertheless  his  determination  to  continue 
faithful  to  His  Majesty  of  Spain.  General  Paez  im- 
proved this  opportunity  to  propose  an  interview  in 
whatever  place  or  manner  most  agreeable  to  Cisneros. 
At  first  a  downright  refusal  was  returned,  he  suspect- 
ing treachery  even  from  a  compadre,  which  relation  is 
in  some  sort  a  sacred  bond  between  parents  and  god- 
father :  he  could  not  comprehend  why  a  man  in  the 
position  of  the  General  should  trust  himself  among 
savages,  having  no  other  motive  than  the  pleasure  of 
an  interview.  A  second  invitation  was  tendered  him 
through  some  women  emissaries — no  man  venturing 
to  penetrate  his  camp — and  this  time  with  better  re- 
sults ;  he  consented  to  the  interview,  but  with  the 
express  condition  that  the  General  should  find  his 
way  alone  to  the  bandit's  haunts  in  the  mountains  of 
Tuy,  south  of  Caracas.  The  undertaking  was  a  most 
hazardous  one,  but  there  was  no  help  for  it.  Thither 
the  General  directed  his  course,  notwithstanding  the 
most  strenuous  opposition,  not  only  on  the  part  of  his 
family,  but  also  from  the  entire  population.  A  num- 
ber of  gentlemen  escorted  him  as  far  as  the  entrance 
to  the  forest,  where  they  remained  anxiously  awaiting 
the  issue.  Following  the  route  marked  out  in  the 
letter  of  instructions  sent  to  him,  the  General  waded 
through  the  forest  until  he  was  stopped  by  a  dismal 
Quien  vive  f  from  one  of  the  sentries.  Tlie  challenge 
being  satisfactorily  answered,  he  was  directed  to  pro- 
ceed forward.     Another  Quien  vive  ?  made  him  con- 


CARACAS.  3g9 

scions  of  a  long  file  of  savage  soldiers,  with  guns 
levelled  at  liis  head.  Onward  he  went,  expecting 
each  moment  to  hear  the  word  fuego  1  (fire ;)  but,  to 
his  great  surprise,  not  a  word  more  was  uttered  until 
he  reached  the  head-quarters  of  the  chief,  under  a 
large  ceiba  tree.  From  the  renown  and  prowess  of 
Cisneros,  the  General  expected  to  behold  a  powerful 
Indian  w^arrior,  surrounded  by  a  staff  of  equally  ath- 
letic men.  AVhat  was  his  wonder  and  disappoint- 
ment to  perceive  a  puny  creature,  his  face  nearly  con- 
cealed under  a  mass  of  dangling  hair,  advancing 
toward  him  !  His  voice,  too,  was  so  shrill  and  effem- 
inate, that  the  General  could  not  but  in  his  turn  sus- 
pect some  knavery.  He  observed,  however,  that  this 
caricature  of  a  man  carried  in  his  hand  in  lieu  of  a 
peace  pipe,  a  formidable  blunderbuss,  widely  know^n 
throughout  the  country,  and  which,  from  its  size,  no 
other  than  Cisneros  would  have  ventured  to  fire.  No 
further  introduction  was  needed  ;  so,  extending  his 
arms  toward  the  stranger,  the  General  embraced  his 
compadre^  blunderbuss  and  all.  ^N^otwithstanding  this 
cordial  demonstration  of  friendship,  the  bandit  ap- 
peared rather  shy  or  covetous  of  the  silver-mounted 
sword  hanging  at  his  guest's  side,  which  the  General 
perceiving,  immediately  despoiled  himself  of,  and 
presented  to  his  cowpadre  with  another  embrace. 
The  temptation  was  too  great.  Casting  all  reserve 
aside,  Cisneros  laid  his  blunderbuss  against  the  tree 
and  invited  his  com  padre  to  sit  beside  him  in  his  own' 
hammock.  The  General,  now  exerting  all  his  tact, 
endeavored  to  persuade  the  stubborn  bandit  to  aban- 
don his  career  of  crime  for  the  less  hazardous  pursuits 
16* 


370  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

of  civilized  communities  ;  offering  in  the  name  of  the 
republic  to  continue  him  in  the  rank  and  pay  of  Colo- 
nel, the  same  grade  he  then  held  in  the  service  of 
Spain.  To  this  Cisneros  replied  that  he  had  sworn 
fealty  to  the  King  his  master,  and  therefore  could  not 
hear  of  any  proposition  to  betray  the  confidence  re- 
posed in  him.  Without  committing  himself  in  the 
least,  he  finally  consented  to  accept  an  invitation 
from  the  General  to  return  the  visit  at  some  future 
day,  which  he  did,  a  fortnight  later,  escorted  by  his 
whole  band  of  savages.  He  would  not,  however,  ad- 
vance beyond  the  village  of  El  Yalle,  three  miles 
from  Caracas.  Thither  the  curious  people  of  the  cap- 
ital hastened  in  crowds,  attracted  by  the  fame  of  the 
strange  guest,  who,  finally,  w^as  so  captivated  by  the 
universal  cordiality  of  his  reception,  that  he  concluded 
to  remain,  accepting  the  reiterated  proposals  tendered 
him  by  the  General.  He  then  disbanded  his  body 
guard  of  four  hundred  Indian  soldiers,  all  of  w^hom 
were  retained  in  the  service  of  Government,  and  be- 
took himself  to  the  raising  of  cattle  after  the  example 
of  his  compadre^  who  advanced  him  the  requisite 
number  of  heads  to  establish  a  fundacion  in  the  In- 
dian village  of  Camatagua.  La  cobra  tira  al  monte^ 
says  the  proverb,  which  may  be  rendered,  "  the  dog 
will  return  to  his  bone."  Poor  Cisneros,  after  doing 
good  service  in  ridding  the  country  of  marauders, 
thus  retrieving,  in  some  measure,  his  past  misdeeds, 
became  at  last  suspected  of  conniving  at  the  escapes 
of  his  former  comrade,  Rangel ;  so  much  so  that  the 
General-in-Chief  found  it  necessary  to  dispossess  him 
of  his  command,  summoning  him  to  his  head-quarters 


CARACAS. 


371 


at  Yilla  de  Cura,  whither  he  returned  for  this  object. 
One  night,  while  the  General  was  conversing  with 
two  of  his  staff  in  the  corridor  of  a  lonely  house 
w^here  he  was  stopping  just  beyond  the  town,  Cis- 
neros,  blunderbuss  and  sword  in  hand,  appeared  sud- 
denly before  him.  Inrimediately  suspecting  treachery, 
the  General  advanced  toward  him  and  inquired, 
"  Why  are  you  here  ?  " — "  I  come,"  Cisneros  coolly 
replied,  "  to  demand  the  cause  of  my  removal." 
Said  the  General,  "  Are  you  alone  ? " — "  My  men  are 
there," — quickly  retorted  Cisneros,  pointing  to  an 
open  field  in  the  rear.  Even  as  he  spoke,  the  General 
snatched  the  sword  and  blunderbuss  from  the  aston- 
ished guerrillero^  and  ordering  one  of  the  ofiicers  to 
put  him  immediately  in  irons,  directed  the  other  to 
go  in  search  of  the  men  and  conduct  them  to  the  bar- 
racks. 

Further  investigation  showed  that  Cisneros,  dis- 
pleased at  being  su23erseded  in  his  command  by  a 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  called  upon  his  men  to  follow 
him,  an  invitation  which  was  readily  complied  with 
by  one-third  of  them  at  least ;  and  many  more  would 
doubtless  have  followed,  had  it  not  been  for  the 
prompt  decision  of  that  officer,  who  ordered  back  the 
rest — warning  them  of  the  danger  they  incurred  in 
thus  disobeying  the  orders  of  the  General-in-Chief. 
Escorted  by  the  recreants,  Cisneros  then  made  his 
way  down  to  Yilla  de  Cura,  which  place  he  ap- 
proached stealthily  under  cover  of  night. 

A  council  of  war  was  ordered  for  the  next  day, 
and  the  evidence  of  his  guilt  being  furnished  by  him- 
self, he  was  condemned  to  be  shot  as  soon  as  the  sen- 


372  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH    AMERICA. 

tence  should  be  approved  by  the  higher  authority. 
In  the  mean  time,  Cisneros,  believing  firmly  that  all 
this  was  only  gotten  up  by  his  compadre  to  frigliten 
others,  did  not  manifest  the  least  concern  as  to  the 
issue.  He  alleged  that  some,  more  criminal  than  him- 
self in  inciting  the  insurrection,  were  at  large  in  the 
capital  and  other  places,  and  therefore  he  had  nothing 
to  fear.  Contrary  to  his  expectations,  however,  when 
the  sentence  was  returned  he  found  that  the  General 
had  ordered  his  execution.  Still  Cisneros,  impressed 
with  the  sacred  nature  of  the  bond  existing  between 
him  and  the  General-in-Chief,  could  not  be  convinced 
that  he  would  be  shot ;  but  when  finally  conducted 
to  the  place  of  execution,  he  became  very  submissive, 
and  demanding  permission  to  speak,  addressed  the 
crowd  assembled  in  the  plaza,  protesting  his  inno- 
cence of  the  charge  of  treason  imputed  to  him,  al- 
though he  acknowledged  that  this  was  but  the  just 
reward  of  his  former  crimes. 

A  few  days  later,  the  body  also  of  Rangel,  pierced 
with  bullets  and  thrown  across  the  back  of  a  donkey, 
was  brought  in,  he  having  been  tracked  in  the  forest 
and  shot  by  an  expert  mountaineer,  after  a  defeat  sus- 
tained from  the  government  forces  at  Pagiiito. 

All  fears  of  further  insurrection  being  now  dis- 
pelled, we  turned  our  steps  toward  the  capital,  where 
we  arrived  in  season  to  comply  with  the  request  of 
Monagas,  that  General  Paez  should  be  the  first  to 
welcome  him  at  the  wharf  of  La  Guaira. 


CHAPTER  XXVn. 

MOKAGAS. 

A  WHOLE  month  elapsed  between  the  election  of 
Monagas  and  his  arrival  at  La  Guaira,  whither  the 
General-in-Chief  went  to  meet  him.  Preparatory 
to  his  public  reception  in  the  capital,  I  received  in- 
structions from  head-quarters  to  have  a  dejeuner  ci  la 
fourchette  prepared  at  Catia,  a  hamlet  near  Caracas. 
There  I  met  for  the  first  time  this  "  Tiger  of  the  East," 
as  he  was  appropriately  styled,  and  his  troop  of  blood- 
hounds. Among  these  the  most  conspicuous  were  his 
brother  Jose  Gregorio,  also  a  General,  and  the  famous 
Juan  Sotillo,  whom  I  have  already  introduced  to  the 
reader's  acquaintance  in  a  former  chapter. 

Excepting  a  habit  of  never  meeting  the  person's 
eye  with  whom  he  is  conversing,  the  elder  Monagas 
has  a  most  commanding  appearance,  being  over  six 
feet  in  height,  and  possesses  features  expressive  of  great 
determination.  Although  he  had  already  attaijied  the 
advanced  age  of  sixty -two  years,  he  scarcely  represented 
fifty  at  most,  having  black  glossy  hair  and  moustache. 


374  WILD   SCENES   IN    SOUTH   AMERICA. 

But  notwithstanding  these  advantages,  his  personnel 
seemed  not  to  produce  a  favorable  impression  upon 
the  people  who  came  to  receive  him  ;  for,  as  the  pro- 
cession moved  through  the  streets,  the  acclamations 
of  the  multitude  were  mostly  directed  to  the  General- 
in-Chief  beside  him,  a  circumstauce  we  all  regretted 
exceedingly,  and  from  which  he  seems  to  have  taken 
mortal  offence.  A  characteristic  incident  occurred 
during  the  procession  among  the  followers  of  the  new 
President,  which  elicited  much  merriment.  As  the 
cavalcade  entered  the  streets  of  the  capital,  Juan  So- 
tillo  rode  up  to  Jose  Gregorio,  and  passing  his  arm 
through  that  of  his  foster-brother,  the  two  proceeded 
along  through  the  procession  apparently  greatly  sat- 
isfied of  their  own  gallantry.  It  was  well  known  in 
the  capital  that  the  two  Llaneros  were  una  y  carne^ 
i,  e,  blackguards  both  ;  and  indeed,  if  we  are  to  judge 
the  former  by  the  spelling  of  his  own  signature,  which 
instead  of  Sotillo  reads  Sopillo^  (confirmed  villain,)  no 
doubt  could  be  entertained  respecting  the  character 
of  one  of  them  at  least. 

The  cavalcade,  after  marching  along  the  Calle  del 
Comercio^  alighted,  as  had  been  arranged,  at  the 
house  of  the  General-in-Chief,  situated  at  the  end  of 
the  street.  Matters  progressed  very  pleasantly  with 
our  guests  for  about  a  month,  when  they  removed  to 
their  new  residence.  Several  splendid  balls  and  bull 
fights  provided  by  the  citizens  were  given  in  honor 
of  the  strangers,  when  it  was  observed  that  the  Presi- 
dent, although  extremely  partial  to  the  latter,  declined 
attending  both.  The  mission  of  our  Leader  being  now 
accomplished,  we  returned  to  Maracay,  expecting  to 


MONAGAS.  375 

recruit  from  our  fatigues  in  that  quiet  little  town. 
But  even  there  our  repose  was  interrupted  by  various 
reports  reaching  us  almost  daily  respecting  the  mis- 
doings of  the  new^  President.  His  entire  cabinet, 
composed  of  high-minded  men,  disgusted  with  his 
perfidious  conduct,  soon  resigned  and  retired  into 
private  life,  thus  leaving  the  fate  of  the  republic  in 
the  hands  of  an  unscrupulous  ruler.  The  perverse 
adherents  of  Guzman,  who  had  suffered  the  most 
from  him  while  in  command  of  the  army  of  the  East, 
were  now  the  first  to  surround  and  lavish  upon  him 
the  basest  flattery  for  the  purpose  of  gaining  him  over 
to  their  party.  Guzman,  still  in  prison  undergoing 
his  trial  for  riot  and  sedition,  was  immediately  set 
free  by  Monagas  ;  while  Bias  Bruzual,  the  leader  of 
the  so-called  liberal  party,  became  at  once  his  confi- 
dential adviser.  A  year  later,  these  two  unprincipled 
demagogues,  who  then  held  high  oflices  in  the  state, 
very  nearly  lost  their  heads  at  the  hands  of  one  of  the 
myrmidons  of  the  despot  for  expressing  sentiments 
derogatory  to  his  administration. 

In  a  word,  I  will  state  that  soon  after  his  installa- 
tion in  the  Executive  power,  Monagas  commenced 
subverting  the  constitution  of  Venezuela,  and  sur- 
rounded himself  with  all  those  who  had  in  former 
years  openly  waged  war  against  the  fundamental  law. 
He  removed  all  the  ofiicers  and  commanders  of  the 
militia,  and  substituted  his  own  partisans  ;  refused  to 
appoint  as  Governors  of  provinces  the  persons  nomi- 
nated according  to  law,  and  placed  in  their  stead  his 
own  creatures.  He  collected  and  took  possession  of 
all  arms  belonging  to  the  State,  and  gave  them  into 


376  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

the  hands  of  his  followers,  disarmed  the  active  or 
regular  militia,  and  called  into  service  the  paid  mili- 
tia, or  militia  of  reserve,  without  the  authority  of  law 
as  required  by  the  constitution.  He  also  excited  and 
encouraged  dissension  and  jealousy  between  the  dif- 
ferent classes  of  the  community.  The  result  of  all 
these  acts  was,  that  articles  of  impeachment  were 
presented  against  him  in  the  House  of  Representa- 
tives in  the  manner  provided  by  the  constitution ; 
but  on  the  24:th  of  January,  1848,  as  the  House  was 
proceeding  to  take  into  consideration  the  accusation, 
the  militia  of  reserve,  called  into  service  by  Monagas, 
officered  and  paid  by  him,  attacked  the  House  and 
fired  upon  the  representatives  of  the  people  ;  a  scene 
of  bloodshed  and  slaughter  ensued  ;  eleven  members 
and  other  citizens  were  murdered,  among  the  former 
the  distinguished  statesman,  Santos  Michel ena ;  but 
notwithstanding  that  Monagas  had  especially  com- 
manded his  myrmidons  to  bring  him  the  heads  of  five 
other  prominent  members,  viz.,  Hermenegildo  Garcia, 
P.  J.  Eojas,  J.  y.  Gonsalez,  J.  M.  Rojas,  and  Simon 
Camacho,  strange  to  relate,  not  one  fell  into  their 
hands,  and,  with  the  exception  of  the  two  first,  are 
now  living  to  rejoice  in  the  downfall  of  their  would- 
be  butcher.  The  House  of  Representatives  was  de- 
serted, and  the  members  fied  in  consternation  to  their 
homes ;  several  found  refuge  in  the  various  foreign 
legations  at  the  capital,  whence  they,  along  with  sev- 
eral others,  were  dragged  the  next  day  into  the  House 
and  compelled  to  pass  a  general  amnesty  in  favor  of 
all  concerned  in  the  bloody  tragedy.  I  was  in  Car- 
acas at  the  time,  making  preparations  to  embark  for 


MONAGAS.  377 

the  West  Indies  with  some  members  of  my  family, 
and  can  bear  testimony  to  the  abominations  of  this 
modern  St.  Bartholomew.  The  house  of  the  generous 
French  Charge,  Monsieur  David,  whose  guests  we 
then  were,  presented  a  scene  which  I  shudder  to  de- 
scribe. Monsieur  David,  who  had  witnessed  the  hor- 
rors of  the  Greek  war  for  independence,  declared  that 
these  scenes  reminded  him  of  similar  ones  enacted  by 
the  Turks  in  the  Grecian  Archipelago.  But  this  was 
only  in  keeping  with  the  deed  which  gained  Monagas 
his  appellation  of  "  Tiger  of  the  East,"  when,  treach- 
erously introducing  himself  in  an  Indian  village,  and 
inviting  the  inhabitants  to  assemble  in  the  church, 
under  pretence  of  bestowing  rewards  in  the  name  of 
the  Spaniards  whom  they  served,  he  closed  the  doors 
and  fired  the  building.  As  the  poor  wretches  in  the 
extremity  of  their  despair  endeavored  to  spring  from 
the  windows,  they  were  caught  upon  the  lances  of 
their  foes  and  brutally  massacred.  Thus  Monagas 
annihilated  an  entire  village,  sparing  neither  age  nor 
sex,  and  this  under  the  plea  of  avenging  some  atroci- 
ties which  had  actually  been  perpetrated  by  Span- 
iards in  his  own  camp. 

Tliis  total  subversion  of  law  produced  great  con- 
sternation throughout  the  republic.  The  people 
turned  again  to  Paez  and  reminded  him  of  his 
promises  to  stand  by  them  and  protect  their  liberties. 
Several  towns  and  provinces  declared  against  the 
usurpation  of  Monagas,  and  called  upon  Paez  to  re- 
store the  constitution.  Convinced  in  my  own  mind 
that  he  would  respond  to  this  call  as  soon  as  the  news 


378  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

of  the  catastrophe  should  reach  him,  I  made  strenu- 
ous efforts  to  depart  for  CuraQao,  all  the  avenues  to 
the  interior  being  closely  guarded  by  the  partisans  of 
Monagas.  Notwithstanding  the  promise  he  had  given 
us  only  the  previous  day,  to  the  effect  that  he  would 
grant  whatever  request  we  might  see  fit  to  ask  of 
him,  when  applied  to  for  our  passports,  demurred,  his 
plea  being  that  such  a  step  on  our  part  would, 
abroad,  bring  discredit  on  his  government !  He  also 
tried  in  vain  to  induce  our  removal  from  the  protec- 
tion of  the  French  Legation  to  his  own  house,  doubt- 
less in  anticipation  of  some  aggressive  movement  on 
the  part  of  our  Leader,  then  on  his  way  to  l^ew  Gra- 
nada, the  inhabitants  of  our  sister  republic  having  ten- 
dered him  an  invitation  to  visit  them.  We,  persisting 
in  our  first  determination,  were  at  length  permitted 
to  leave  for  La  Guaira,  escorted  by  an  aide-de-camp 
of  Monagas,  just  one  day  before  the  news  reached 
the  capital  that  General  Paez  was  in  arms  against 
the  tyrant. 

On  the  4tli  of  February  we  embarked  on  board  a 
Dutch  schooner  for  the  peaceful  island  of  Curagao,  to 
the  northwest  of  La  Guaira.  Sped  by  the  trade- 
wind  and  current,  we  descried  on  the  morning  of  the 
5th  the  red  roofs  of  the  quaint  old  town  of  Willem- 
stadt,  capital  of  the  island,  ?lnd  the  two  splendid  forts 
commanding  the  harbor's  entrance.  An  hour  or  two 
more  "before  the  wind,"  brought  our  swift  craft 
within  its  tranquil  waters,  where  we  were  soon  sur- 
rounded by  a  fleet  of  clumsy  punts,  manned  by  as 
ragged  and  vociferous  a  set  of  negroes  as  ever  shone 
under  a  tropical  sun.     With  one  hand  upon  the  long 


MONAGAS.  379 

oar  by  which  they  propelled  and  steered  at  the  same 
time  their  boats,  with  the  other  they  endeavored  to 
direct  our  attention  to  themselves,  almost  bewildering 
us  with  their  cosmopolitan  patois  ;  now  offering  to 
transport  our  persons  and  chattels  in  their  pouches 
for  only  one  placa^  about  one  cent ;  now  extolling  the 
merits  of  their  employer's  hotel  or  boarding-house, 
none  of  these,  however,  remarkable  for  cleanliness  or 
f  comfort. 

On  the  wharf  of  Punda,  a  suburb  of  the  town  de- 
voted to  business  and  the  goddess  Cloacina,  we  were 
met  by  a  crowd  of  more  familiar  faces,  composed  of 
other  refugees  from  our  unhappy  country,  who  had 
succeeded  in  evading  the  vigilance  of  guards  stationed 
on  all  the  roads  leading  to  the  seacoast  as  well  as  to 
the  interior,  and  now  accosted  us  with  anxious  glances 
and  inquiries  respecting  the  fate  of  the  beloved  ones 
left  behind.  Among  them  we  discovered  the  plump 
and  honest  face  of  many  a  Dutchman,  who  hastened 
to  offer  us  those  hospitable  civilities  so  acceptable  in 
a  foreign  land. 

Finding  the  proximity  of  punt-drivers  and  fruit- 
venders  none  the  most  odorous,  notwithstanding  the 
display  of  delicious  fruit  that  lined  the  wharves,  and 
the  accommodations  at  the  hotel  not  so  inviting  as 
had  been  represented  to  us,  we  removed  to  La  Otra 
Banda,  by  far  the  most  decent  qu  artier  of  the  four 
into  which  the  town  is  divided,  where,  for  a  compara- 
tively small  sum,  we  hired  a  furnished  house. 

I  soon  made  myself  familiar  with  the  few  points 
of  attraction  in  the  island  ;  and  having  been  favored 
with  the  sympathy  and  kind  attentions  of  its  inhab- 


380  WILD  SCENES   IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

itants  from  the  moment  of  our  arrival,  liad  abundant 
opportunities  for  visiting  their  beautiful  country  resi- 
dences, embowered  in  groves  of  mango,  tamarind, 
and  other  equally  splendid  fruit  trees.  Curacao  is 
justly  celebrated  in  this  respect,  especially  for  its 
Sapodillas,  (Achras  sapota,)  undoubtedly  the  finest 
in  the  tropics.  The  bergamot  orange,  from  whose 
rind  is  distilled  in  Holland  the  delicious  liqueur 
which  bears  the  name  of  the  island,  also  grows  there 
in  the  greatest  profusion. 

There  was  so  aristocratic  an  air  of  careful  order 
about  these  rural  retreats  as  to  recall  at  every  step  the 
proverbial  neatness  of  the  mother  country.  Many  of 
the  farms  are  devoted  to  the  raising  of  sheep  and 
goats,  including  a  few  horned  cattle  ;  but  the  greater 
portion  of  the  lands  are  occupied  with  plantations  of 
the  aloe  socotrina  and  the  cochineal  cactus,  from  both 
of  which  Curagao  and  its  dependencies,  Bonaire  and 
Oruba,  obtain  a  fine  revenue.  A  large  quantity  of 
salt  is  also  exported  from  those  islands,  which,  to 
gether  with  large  receipts  of  goat-skins  from  the 
neighboring  Yenezuelian  province  of  Coro,  contribute 
to  maintain  a  brisk  trade  between  CuraQao  and  the 
United  States. 

The  island  has  an  area  of  about  one  hundred  ,and 
seventy  miles  ;  it  is  hilly  in  the  interior,  although  not 
very  high ;  the  shores  are  bold  and  rocky,  showing 
evident  proofs  of  its  coralline  formation  and  subse- 
quent elevation.  It  scarcely  contains  any  water,  and 
the  soil  is  poor  as  a  general  thing,  although  the  in- 
dustrious inhabitants,  of  whom  there  are  about  fifteen 
thousand,  make  up  for  the  deficiency  in  this  respect. 


MONAGAS.  381 

A  great  portion  of  my  time  was  employed  at 
Curagao  in  scanning  from  an  eminence  the  distant 
horizon,  in  anxious  expectation  of  some  vessel  from 
La  Guaira  bringing  glad  tidings  of  the  tyrant's  down- 
fall, or  at  least  something  concerning  the  movements 
of  our  beloved  Leader.  Vain  w^ere  our  hopes  ;  every 
new  arrival  was  eagerly  sought  and  questioned,  only 
to  learn  that  Monagas  was  daily  reenforced  with  volun- 
tary levies  from  the  colored  population,  wdiom  his 
satellites  had  no  difficulty  in  persuading  that  unless 
they  enlisted  freely  under  his  black  banner,  they 
would  all  be  branded  and  sold  by  the  "  ambitious 
Paez  "  to  the  English  !  Of  such  stuff  are  often,  alas  ! 
composed  the  armies  raised  in  South  America  for  the 
enslavement  of  higher  intellect  and  constitutional 
rights.  I  may  remark  here,  en  passant^  that  far  from 
aiming  at  the  perpetuation  of  slavery  in  Venezuela, 
General  Paez  exerted  himself,  both  as  a  magistrate 
and  private  individual,  in  accomplishing  the  gradual 
emancipation  of  the  few  still  remaining  in  the  repub- 
lic, enacting  laws  to  such  effect  during  his  adminis- 
tration, and  giving  freedom  to  all  those  in  his  posses- 
sion whose  good  conduct  and  fidelity  entitled  them 
to  that  benefit.  Yet,  so  successful  were  the  agents 
of  despotism  in  propagating  those  absurd  notions, 
and  so  great  the  contagious  effect  of  that  base  cal- 
umny, that  it  spread  even  to  the  miserable  aloe- 
scented  punt-drivers  of  Curagao,  whose  insolence 
toward  the  refugees  already  required  the  inter- 
vention and  assistance  of  the  police  on  many  occa- 
sions. 

Tired  at  length  of  such  uncertainty,  and  learning 


382  ^ILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH    AMERICA. 

that  the  forces  of  Maracaibo  had  occupied  the  prov- 
ince of  Coro,  I  sailed  for  La  Yela  on  the  night  of  the 
16th  of  March.  Several  other  gentlemen,  desirous 
like  myself  of  sharing  with  the  gallant  maracaiberos 
the  hardships  of  the  first  campaign  for  the  reestablish- 
ment  of  order,  also  accompanied  me.  The  distance 
from  CuraQao  to  the  mainland  being  only  thirty 
miles,  we  arrived  at  the  open  roadstead  of  La  Yela 
before  we  were  even  aware  of  our  approach  to  the 
coast.  A  more  barren  and  desolate  spot  than 
this,  I  believe,  does  not  exist  even  in  Arabia  Petrea. 
A  few  straggling  houses  in  a  state  of  decadence  and 
misery,  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  prickly  cactuses 
and  acacias  (cujies,)  which  constitute  the  principal 
sustenance  of  numerous  flocks  of  goats  raised  here  by 
the  inhabitants,  formed  the  tout  ensemble  of  the  old- 
est port  in  South  America.  We  had  some  difiiculty 
in  finding  any  one  from  whom  we  could  ascertain 
whether  the  place  was  still  under  the  sway  of  el 
Gkande  Asesino,  or  under  the  auspices  of  Za  Restau- 
racion. 

With  this  discouraging  prospect  before  us,  and 
enlisting  at  once  the  services  of  some  stray  donkeys 
left  behind  as  unserviceable  by  the  retreating  nionor 
gueros^  we  took  the  road  leading  to  the  capital,  over 
an  extensive  quagmire  or  salina  formed  by  the  rising 
tides.  A  low  range  of  moving  sand  hills,  extending 
for  several  miles  along  the  sea-shore,  prevents  the  en- 
tire obliteration  of  the  route. 

Our  donkeys  behaved  admirably,  considering  their 
emaciated  condition  and  the  spongy  nature  of  the 
ground  which,  in  addition  to  the  sprinkling  of  sand 


MONAGAS.  383 

from  the  medanos,  had  imbibed  sufficient  salt  water 
to  render  it  almost  impassable. 

Another  striking  feature  of  the  landscape  we 
traversed,  was  the  number  and  varieties  of  the  cactus 
tribe  growing  there  in  society  with  the  bristling 
cujies^  (mimosa  ternecina,  negra,  and  others,)  forming 
impenetrable  thickets  to  any  but  the  carianos^  through- 
out the  province.  The  pods  of  these  mimosas  afford 
excellent  nourishment  to  the  troops  of  mules  and  asses, 
as  well  as  goats,  constituting  the  principal  wealth  of 
the  inhabitants  ;  while  the  cactuses  contain  a  watery 
sap  sufficient  to  atone  for  the  total  want  of  springs  in 
those  barren  flats.  Upon  one  of  them,  four  or  live 
miles  beyond  La  Yela,  the  ancient  city  of  Coro,  once 
the  capital  of  Venezuela  Proper,  stands  to  the  present 
day ;  neither  the  ravages  of  time — its  existence  dating 
from  the  year  1527 — nor  the  descent  of  English  free- 
booters in  1567,  who  captured  it  after  a  desperate  as- 
sault ;  nor  the  devastating  War  of  Independence,  end- 
ing only  with  the  almost  total  extermination  of  the  in- 
habitants, having  destroyed  the  very  decided  influence 
it  still  exerts  over  the  destinies  of  the  country  at  large. 

Although  the  forces  from  Maracaibo,  under  the 
command  of  the  noble-minded  Pinango,  encountered 
very  little  opposition  from  the  Monagas  party  in  Coro, 
additional  reenforcements  were  despatched  thither  by 
sea  from  Caracas ;  these  were  landed  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  province,  too  far  off  from  Pifiango's  base 
of  operations  to  guard  against  the  advancing  columns 
of  the  enemy.  Still,  Pinango  had  largely  increased 
his  army  with  additional  levies  from  various  parts  of 
the  province,  and  with  these  prepared  to  meet  the 


384:  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

enemy  on  his  own  ground.  Accordingly  on  tlie  3d  of 
April  he  moved  with  his  whole  force  toward  La  Yela, 
but  had  not  proceeded  further  when  he  received  in- 
telligence that  the  enemy  was  rapidly  advancing  from 
an  opposite  direction.  After  deliberating  on  the  best 
course,  he  determined  to  await  his  foe  on  the  plain  of 
La  Yela,  the  approach  to  which  was  well  covered  by 
some  war  schooners  just  arrived  from  Maracaibo. 

We  remained  two  days  at  La  Yela  in  hourly  ex- 
pectation of  a  brush  with  the  enemy,  who  our 
scouts  informed  us  was  at  Taratara,  a  hamlet  not  far 
from  our  camp,  where,  protected  by  an  impenetrable 
barrier  of  cactuses  and  mimosas,  and  in  greater  num- 
bers than  we  could  oppose  to  them,  they  awaited  our 
advance.  Pifiango,  therefore,  very  wisely  resolved  to 
embark  with  his  whole  force  for  Maracaibo,  but  the 
commanders  of  the  vessels  refusing  to  receive  his 
troops  on  board,  he  suddenly  changed  his  tactics  and 
gave  the  order  to  advance  upon  the  enemy. 

We  had  no  difficulty  in  driving  in  their  pickets 
toward  Taratara,  and  shortly  after  the  action  became 
general.  Unfortunately,  the  regiment  detailed  by 
Piiiango  to  outflank  the  enemy  became  inextricably 
involved  amidst  the  bristling  cactuses,  while  their 
opponents  poured  murderous  volleys  upon  them  from 
behind  some  wooden  fences,  where  they  had  in- 
trenched themselves.  Several  of  our  best  officers 
were  either  killed  at  once  or  mortally  wounded ; 
among  the  latter  our  lamented  Chief,  whom  we  were 
forced  to  leave  behind  in  the  flight  that  ensued. 
Happily  the  enemy,  mistaking  our  movement  for  a 
feint,  pursued  us  with  only  a  small  body  of  cavalry, 


MONAGAS.  385 

which,  although  keeping  at  a,  respectable  distance, 
added  to  the  confusion  of  our  retreating  soldiers. 
Yery  few  of  us  were  fortunate  enough  to  gain  the 
schooners  with  the  help  of  the  few  boats  at  our  dis- 
posal ;  the  remainder  were  either  dispersed  or  taken 
prisoners  before  they  reached  the  beach. 

Although  poorly  mounted,  but  well  provided  with 
an  excellent  double-barrelled  gun,  I  succeeded  after  a 
hard  ride  in  reaching  the  sea-shore,  where  I  was 
picked  up  by  a  boat  from  a  Dutch  schooner  at  anchor 
in  the  bay,  and  transferred  afterward  to  our  flotilla. 
With  me  also  escaped  two  brave  commanders.  Gen- 
eral Muguerza  and  Colonel  Minchin,  both  badly 
wounded ;  happily  they  recovered  while  at  Mara- 
caibo,  for  which  place  the  vessels  sailed  that  same 
evening,  leaving  numbers  of  our  unfortunate  compan- 
ions to  shift  for  themselves  amidst  the  cruel  woods  of 
Coro. 

Misfortimes  never  come  singly.  On  our  way  to 
Maracaibo,  I  was  confidentially  informed  by  an  oflacer 
of  the  staff  that  General  Pinango's  wish  to  withdraw 
from  Coro  was  in  consequence  of  a  bulletin  from  Ca- 
racas, received  by  him  at  La  Yela,  announcing  the 
startling  fact  that  General  Paez  had  been  defeated  in 
the  plains  of  Apure.  Although  I  at  first  did  not  at- 
tach much  importance  to  a  bulletin  coming  from  the 
enemy,  the  sad  intelligence  was  fully  confirmed 
shortly  after  our  arrival  at  Maracaibo,  by  an  emis- 
sary from  the  General  himself,  informing  the  author- 
ities of  his  retreat  into  New  Granada.  I  then  learned, 
for  the  first  time,  that,  although  quite  unprepared  for 
the  unequal  contest,  he  took  the  field  with  a  few  fol- 
17 


^gg  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

lowers  at  Calabozo,  whei-e  lie  received  the  first  infor- 
mation respecting  tlie  bloody  tragedy  at  Caracas. 
His  force  was  receiving  daily  additions  with  volun- 
teers from  various  parts  of  the  Llanos,  when  a  traitor 
— Cornelio  Munoz — whom  he  had  raised  from  the 
lowest  station  in  life  to  the  highest  rank  in  the  army, 
rebelled  against  him  in  the  province  of  Apure,  thus 
menacing  his  rear.  To  guard  against  this  evil  in  time, 
the  General  set  off  immediately  in  that  direction  with 
the  object  of  having  an  interview  with  Munoz,  or  of 
attacking  him  before  he  should  increase  his  force. 

Unwilling  to  commence  hostilities  in  the  province 
of  his  especial  solicitude.  General  Paez  despatched  at 
once  a  commissioner  duly  accredited  to  treat  with 
Munoz  while  he  mustered  his  forces,  consisting  wholly 
of  cavalry,  on  the  plain  of  Cambero.  Finding,  how- 
ever, that  he  could  not  come  to  terms  with  his  un- 
grateful compadre — for,  in  addition  to  other  favors 
from  his  benefactor,  Munoz  had  prevailed  upon  the 
General  to  stand  as  godfather  to  one  of  his  children — 
he  determined  to  attack  him  with  his  body-guard  of 
tried  Llaneros  and  a  few  squadrons  from  Calabozo. 
A  gallant  charge  from  the  former  soon  broke  the  en- 
emy's front,  who  fled  in  confusion  across  the  plain ; 
but  before  the  cloud  of  dust  raised  by  the  horses  had 
cleared,  the  regiments  from  Calabozo,  seized  with  a 
sudden  panic,  fled  in  exactly  the  opposite  direction 
to  that  taken  by  the  retreating  enemy.  All  the 
efforts  of  General  Paez  to  arrest  the  flight  were  una- 
vailing, they  never  stopping  until  close  to  the  frontiers 
of  New  Granada. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  guard,  after  a  successful 


MONAGAS.  387 

pursuit  of  several  miles,  wlien  tliey  lanced  great  num- 
bers of  their  opponents,  finding  on  their  return  no 
traces  of  the  missing  regiments  and  only  dead  bodies 
upon  the  field,  were  in  their  turn  overwhelmed  with 
panic,  and  likewise  retreated  into  New  Granada  by 
another  route. 

Thus,  from  a  victorious  General,  our  Leader  be- 
came, through  the  treachery  or  cowardice  of  one  of 
his  lieutenants,  a  wanderer  in  a  strange  land.  The 
negotiations  with  Munoz  had  been  conducted  by  the 
commander  of  the  forces  from  Calabozo,  who  stood  in 
great  fear  of  Munoz  ;  and  it  was  rumored  at  the  time 
that  the  latter  had  promised  him  full  pardon  in  case 
of  a  defeat,  providing  he  should  desert  his  chief  and 
friend  in  his  hour  of  danger. 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

MARACAIBO. 

MoNAGAS,  now  free  from  enemies  in  other  parts  of 
the  republic,  directed  his  whole  energy  and  attention 
to  the  subjugation  of  Maracaibo,  which,  from  her 
geographical  situation  and  abundance  of  resources, 
offered  a  more  formidable  obstacle  to  his  sway. 

A  glance  at  the  map  of  Yenezuela,  will  show  a 
deep  indentation  of  the  coast  toward  the  west,  formed 
by  the  wild  aad  still  unsubdued  peninsula  of  La 
Goajira, — exclusively  inhabited  by  a  warlike  tribe  of 
Indians — on  the  north,  and  the  arid  coast  of  Coro 
on  the  southeast.  Into  this  wide  gulf,  usually  termed 
Saco  de  Maracaibo,  the  largest  lake  in  South  America 
pours  the  tribute  of  a  hundred  navigable  rivers  and 
several  minor  streams.  The  entrance  to  the  lake  is 
extremely  dangerous,  on  account  of  the  many  shoals 
and  breakers  that  bar  its  mouth,  while  but  a  small 
portion  of  its  eastern  shores  is  accessible  to  an  ene- 
my seeking  to  invade  the  province  by  land,  the  rest 
being  entirely  surrounded  by  an  impenetrable  forest 
^   and  pestiferous  marshes,  tlie  haunts  of  the  tapir,  and 


MARACAIBO.  389 

numerous  herds  of  wild  liogs.  Tlie  only  entrance  to 
it  from  the  sea,  is  through  a  narrow  channel  between 
dangerous  shoals,  in  the  west  end  of  its  mouth,  where 
a  fort  mounting  twelve  guns  can  easily  dispute  the 
passage  of  a  flotilla,  such  as  are  used  in  the  republic. 
With  the  aid  of  good  pilots,  ships  not  exceeding 
eleven  feet  draught  can  cross  the  bar  and  intervening 
shoals  between  this  point  and  Maracaibo,  thirty-five 
miles  inland. 

Further  on,  the  lake  expands  into  a  nearly  circular 
basin,  four  hundred  miles  in  circumference,  navigable 
in  all  its  extent  by  the  largest  craft  afloat. 

Although  the  news  of  the  reverse  of  Taratara 
threw  the  people  of  this  province  into  the  greatest 
excitement  for  a  time,  the  comparative  security  they 
felt  under  the  protection  of  their  little  fleet  of  schoon- 
ers— soon  increased  by  the  addition  of  a  bark  and  sev- 
eral 3inned  jnragicas — finally  quite  restored  the  public 
tranquillity,  and  I  had  leisure  to  occupy  myself  with 
other  objects  than  gunpowder. 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  tire  the  reader,  more  than 
is  absolutely  necessary  to  the  fulfilment  of  my  task, 
with  the  recital  of  the  miseries  and  tragedies  inci- 
dental to  civil  war ;  my  mission  is  simply  to  depict 
the  natural  features  of  my  native  country,  avoiding 
the  unnatural  as  much  as  possible.  Therefore,  let  us 
now  glance  at  the  city  and  its  environs,  where  spark- 
ling eyes  and  loving  hearts  await  our  arrival  to  wel- 
come us  to  their  comfortable  mansions  ;  for  hotels  are 
rather  a  scarce  commodity  in  Maracaibo,  the  gen- 
erous hospitality  of  the  inhabitants  having  thus  far 
prevented  their  establishment. 


390  WILD   SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

The  first  object  that  attracts  our  attention  on  enter- 
ing the  bay,  is  a  spacious  custom-house  fronting  the 
water ;  near  this  stands  also  the  market,  profusely 
supplied  with  game,  fish,  and  the  finest  beef  in  the 
country.  There  can  be  found  also  abundance  of 
vegetables,  raised  on  harhacoas^  several  feet  from  the 
ground,  for  the  purpose  of  protecting  the  tender 
shoots  from  the  depredations  of  red  ants.  Were  this 
precaution  neglected,  the  entire  crop  would  disap- 
pear in  a  single  night,  the  time  usually  chosen  by 
these  pernicious  insects  for  their  marauding  excur- 
sions. Among  the  vegetables  you  cannot  fail  to 
notice  the  size  and  abundance  of  the  plantains,  a  fa- 
vorite food  with  the  people  of  all  classes.  This  vege- 
table being  suspended  sufficiently  high  from  the 
ground  by  the  parent  plant,  does  not  require  man's 
protection  against  the  ants,  whose  habits  are  de- 
cidedly terrestrial.  Immense  plantations  of  this  de- 
licious fruit,  or  vegetable,  exist  on  the  moist  borders 
of  the  lake,  along  with  its  inseparable  companion,  the 
cacao-tree.  As  a  substitute  for  soda  water  or  iced 
lemonade  in  this  burning  climate,  the  intelligent 
gar^on  before  the  fruit-stands  will  present  you  for  the 
asking  the  huge  green  husk  of  the  cocoa-nut,  filled 
with  its  refreshing  sap,  erroneously  called  milk.  Tlie 
tree  producing  it,  is  another  of  the  peculiar  features 
environing  the  lake,  whose  shores  for  more  than  forty 
miles  are  covered  with  a  continuous  plantation  of  this 
useful  palm ;  from  it  the  inhabitants  obtain,  besides 
wine,  oil,  milk,  (from  the  kernel,)  cabbage,  thatch, 
timber,  &c.,  &c. 

Embowered   in   one  of  these  cocales — cocoa-nut 


MARACAIBO.  391 

plantations — the  rural  retreat  of  Los  Ilaticos  looms 
across  the  bay.  This,  as  the  name  implies,  is  a  collec- 
tion of  countr3'  houses,  where  tlie  citizens  spend  great 
portions  of  their  time  in  revelry  and  enjoyment. 
Some  of  the  houses  are  roofed  with  red  tiles,  giving 
them  a  very  pretty  appearance  amidst  the  dark  foliage 
of  the  palms  ;  but  the  greater  part  are  thatched  with 
eiiea^  or  flag-reed,  unfortunately  also  used  to  a  great 
extent  in  the  city.  During  the  merry  nights  of 
Christmas  and  other  holidays,  abundantly  provided 
by  our  calendar,  Los  Haticos  present  a  scene  of  bustle 
and  gayety  remarkable  for  good  taste,  sociability,  and 
unostentatious  hospitality.  There,  to  the  strains  of 
the  guitar,  the  harp  and  i)ianoforte,  you  may  listen 
to  as  melodious  voices  as  any  that  ever  issued  from 
enchanted  groves.  They  proceed  from  the  accom- 
plished Maracaiberas^  by  far  the  most  interesting  fea- 
ture of  this  province.  If,  fascinated  by  their  charm- 
ing voices,  you  are  tempted  the  next  morning  to  stroll 
through  that  little  paradise  of  Spanish  grace  and 
beauty,  you  will  behold  these  syrens  of  the  lake, 
quietly  seated  under  the  shade  of  those  stately  palms, 
at  work  upon  their  famous  laces,  rivalling  in  fineness 
the  spider's  web.  Their  cottages  are  as  opgii  to 
strangers  as  the  noble  hearts  of  the  fair  occupants. 
Step  in  without  ceremony,  tired  traveller,  and  witness 
henceforth  to  the  excellency  of  the  cup  of  chocolate 
speedily  prepared  for  you  by  their  hospitable  hands, 
which,  at  the  same  time,  offer  also  for  your  comfort  a 
richly  embroidered  napkin  of  their  own  manufacture. 
But  as  we  shall  have  other  opportunities  to  see 
more  of  them,  we  will  take  leave  for  the  present  of 


WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

these  charming  ladies  of  Maracaibo,  and  continue  our 
ramble  through  the  city. 

As  we  sail  to  and  from  Los  Haticos,  you  cannot 
fail  to  notice  the  immense  number  oi  inraguas^  (flat- 
bottomed  sailing  boats  having  two  masts  and  square 
sails,)  which  crowd  the  bay  and  the  line  of  the  horizon 
toward  the  south.  Tliese  are  the  vehicles  of  trans- 
portation throughout  this  thrifty  "  Little  Venice,"  or 
Venezuela  proper,  a  name  conferred  upon  it  by  the 
Italian  navigator,  Americus  Yespuccius,  who  first 
braved  the  dangerous  bar  of. Maracaibo.  The  borders 
of  the  lake  being  swampy  and  unhealthy,  the  abo- 
rigines of  that  epoch,  as  well  as  those  of  the  present 
day,  to  escape  the  malignant  fevers  and  clouds  of 
hungry  mosquitoes  filling  the  air,  built  their  habita- 
•tions  in  the  water  on  posts  of  lignum-vitse,  which  in 
this  province  bears  the  appropriate  name  of  iron- 
wood. 

Crowds  of  roguish  urchins — attracted  by  the  loads 
of  golden  plantains  on  board  some  of  the  piraguas — 
are  constantly  diving  around  these,  after  the  fruit 
thrown  to  them  by  the  patrons,  as  otherwise  these 
little  depredators  would  speedily  relieve  them  of  the 
main  part  of  their  cargo.  In  this  manner  the  young 
Maracaiberos  acquire  their  astonishing  proficiency  in 
swimming,  which,  later  in  life,  enables  them  to  brave 
the  dangers  of  their  inland  sea. 

The  piraguas  are  very  useful  for  ascending  the  rivers 
of  the  interior,  connecting  the  commercial  metropolis 
of  the  lake  with  the  agricultural  provinces  of  Merida, 
Trujillo,  and  portions  of  l^ew  Granada.  The  two 
former    send   to  Maracaibo  for  exportation,  indigo, 


MARACAIBO.  393 

coifee,  cacao,  pita  fibre,  sugar,  honey,  and  delicious 
preserv^es.  The  fertile  valleys  of  Cucuta  in  New  Gra- 
nada depend  principally  upon  Maracaibo  for  goods 
of  foreign  manufacture,  giving  in  return  tobacco, 
coffee,  cacao,  and  straw  hats.  Maracaibo  exports, 
besides  large  quantities  of  dye-woods,  copaiba,  divi- 
divi,  senna-leaves,  and  hides. 

Among  the  shipping  you  will  also  observe  many 
fine  schooners  and  square-rigged  vessels  built  from 
her  own  inexhaustible  supply  of  everlasting-timber, 
the  city  furnishing  besides  the  best  sailors,  as  well 
as  the  "  smartest "  business  men  in  the  republic. 

There  is  a  naval  academy  in  addition  to  a  college 
and  several  public  schools,  where  the  youth  receive 
excellent  instructions  in  the  primary  branches  of  edu- 
cation. In  this  connection  Depons  observes  :  "  The 
youth  of  Maracaibo  are  particularly  favored  by  na- 
ture, the  least  elemental  instruction  being  sufficient 
to  develop  their  mental  faculties,  a  proficiency  not 
easily  obtained  in  Europe  without  long  study  and 
excellent  teachers." 

Tlie  greatest  anxiety  prevailed  among  the  people 
of  Maracaibo  for  the  arrival  of  General  Paez,  hourly 
expected  from  New  Granada.  A  line  schooner  was 
fitted  up  for  his  accommodation  without  loss  of  time, 
and  despatched  to  the  mouth  of  the  river  Catatumbo — 
tlie  main  channel  of  communication  between  Cucuta 
and  the  lake — to  receive  and  conduct  him  to  the  city. 
A  number  of  gentlemen  were  commissioned  for  this 
purpose,  and  I  availed  myself  of  the  opportunity  to 
partially  explore  that  interesting  region. 
16* 


394  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

The  distance  from  Maracaibo  to  the  Catatnmbo  is 
about  ninety  miles,  and  the  schooner  made  the  run 
during  the  night,  so  that  by  early  morning,  we  drop- 
ped anchor  in  the  still  waters  of  Congo  bay.  The 
spy-glass  was  constantly  in  use,  examining  every 
bongo  that  hove  in  sight,  hoping  as  we  did  every  mo- 
ment to  receive  some  tidings  of  our  Leader's  where- 
abouts. "We  knew  that  he  was  at  Cucuta,  making 
preparations  for  his  voyage  down  the  river ;  accord- 
ingly we  waited  from  day  to  day,  in  constant  expec- 
tation of  his  arrival.  To  our  great  disappointment 
we  learned,  twelve  days  afterward,  that  the  enemy's 
guerillas  were  posted  along  the  woody  banks  of  the 
river,  cutting  off  his  communication  with  the  lake, 
thus  annihilating  our  cherished  hopes  and  those  of 
the  whole  province,  which  longed  to  receive  him 
with  open  arms. 

Meanwhile,  I  was  not  idle  in  procuring  infor- 
mation respecting  the  natural  curiosities  of  that 
region.  Much  of  the  day  was  occupied  in  rowing 
round  the  bay,  and  among  the  numerous  channels 
between  the  alluvial  islands,  constantly  forming  at 
the  mouths  of  tributary  rivers.  Immense  quantities 
of  drift-wood  and  water-lilies  are  brought  down  by 
these,  and  deposited  in  the  shallow  borders  of  the 
lake.  Tlie  wild  plantain — heliconia — and  other  hy- 
dropathic plants  also  take  root  there,  and  before  many 
years  have  rolled  by,  not  only  the  course  of  the  rivers, 
but  also  the  aspect  of  the  scenery  become  changed. 
The  stately  mora — Madura  tinctoria — which,  under 
the  name  of  fustic,  is  largely  shipped  from  Maracaibo 
to  various  parts  of  the  world — invites  to  its  gigantic 


MARACAIBO. 


395 


branches  and  luscious  berries,  troops  of  chattering 
monkeys  and  flocks  of  noisy  macaws,  whose  brilliant 
plumage  vies  in  richness  with  the  various  tints  yielded 
by  that  celebrated  tree. 


.-S^/,^j^i 


!N"ot  even  a  foot  of  dry  land  could  we  find  whereon 
to  exercise  our  cramped  limbs.  Our  excursions,  there- 
fore, were  made  mostly  in  the  boats  of  the  schooner, 
or  by  wading  through  the  shallower  parts  of  the  bay, 
which  wcn-e  covered  with  fine  sand.  The  water  was 
so  transparent,  that  we  easily  avoided  the  numerous 
sting-rays  and  saw-fish  beneath  its  surface.  I  speared 
several  young  ones  of  the  latter,  almost  as  numerous 
as  the  sands  of  those  extensive  shoals,  which  led  me  to 
conclude  that  this  was  a  breeding  place  for  tliat  curious 


396  WILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH   AMERICA. 

species  of  shark.  "  It  attains  a  length  of  from  twelve 
to  fifteen  feet,  including  the  serrated  rostrum  from 
which  its  name  is  derived. 


"This  powerful  weapon  seems  designed  to  com- 
pensate for  the  inadequacy  of  the  ordinary  maxillary 
teeth,  which  are  usually  small,  obtuse,  and  insufficient 
to  capture  and  kill  the  animals  w^hich.form  the  food 
of  this  predatory  shark.  To  remedy  this,  the  fore 
part  of  the  head  and  its  cartilages  are  prolonged  into 
a  flattened  plate,  the  length  of  which  is  nearly  equal 
to  one-third  of  the  whole  body ;  the  edges  being 
armed  witli  formidable  teetli  that  are  never  shed  or 
renewed,  but  increase  in  size  with  the  growth  of  the 
creature."  * 

Alligators  of  enormous  size  were  equally  abundant 
there,  especially  in  the  inlets  of  lagoons  connected 
with  the  lake,  waiting  for  prey.  To  these  lagoons 
numbers  of  piraguas  resort  regularly  to  load  with  fish, 
w^hich,  salted,  forms  one  of  the  principal  articles  of 
trade  with  Maracaibo.  Kear  the  anchorage  of  our 
schooner  was  a  fisherman's  cottage,  raised  on  posts 
three  feet  above  water  like  the  Indian  habitations.    Its 

*  Sir  J.  Emerson  Tcnnent. 


MARACAIBO. 


397 


owner,  whose  body  was  so  spotted  with  coagulated 
blood  from  the  bite  of  mosquitoes  that  it  had  lost  its 
original  hue,  supplied  us  daily  with  fresh  fish,  re- 
ceiving in  exchange  salt,  tobacco,  and  aguardiente. 
I  could  not  repress  a  sentiment  of  pity  for  the  solitary 
inhabitant  of  those  lonely  swamps,  and  even  ventured 
to  advise  a  cliange  of  location,  when,  to  my  great  sur- 
prise his  disfigured  countenance  assuming  a  grin  of 
evident  compassion,  he  whispered  close  in  my  ear : 
"  Should  you  ever  wish  to  escape  into  New  Granada,  I 
can  take  you  there  in  my  canoe  through  channels  only 
known  to  myself."  I  then  little  thought  I  should  ever 
need  to  accept  this  invitation  ;  so,  oflfering  him  a  segar, 
I  contented  myself  instead,  with  a  trip  in  his  skifif  to 
one  of  the  neighboring  islands  after  some  wild  pavas 
we  heard  tolling  in  the  distance.  I  shot  one  of  these, 
of  a  rich  chocolate  color,  and  quite  as  large  as  a 
turkey-hen,  which  it  greatly  resembles ;  hence  its 
name.  The  swampy  and  tangled  nature  of  the  jungle 
prevented  however  further  progress,  and  I  returned 
to  my  cicerone's  hut  after  a  few  ineflfectiial  shots  at 
the  alligators.  He  related  to  me  several  wonderful 
stories  about  the  danta  or  tapir,  the  river-horse  of 
the  Kevv  World,  which  from  want  of  Ipace  I  am  com- 
pelled to  omit.  Subsequently,  on  my  return  to  Mara- 
caibo,  I  saw  one  of  these  animals  quite  tame  at  the 
house  of  Seiior  Casanova,  one  of  the  "  merchant 
princes"''  of  our  "  Little  Yenice,"  who  had  allotted  a 
place,  in  the  corridor  of  his  own  house,  to  that  noble 
beast. 

One  night  we  were  surprised  by  the  most  fearful 
storm  within  my  experience.     It  seemed  as  though 


398 


WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 


the  "  windows  of  Heaven  were  opened,"  amidst  tlie 
glare  of  lightning,  the  howling  winds,  and  rolling 
thunder.  The  latter  was  especially  terrific.  The  rain 
fell  with  such  force  as  to  tear  away  the  awning  which 
protected  our  nightly  slumbers,  our  nnmbers  being 
too  great  for  the  little  cabin  of  the  schooner.  The 
danger  from  the  lightning  was  greatly  enhanced  by 
the  immediate  proximity  of  a  war  vessel  filled  with 
gunpowder.  The  surface  of  the  lake  appeared  at 
times  like  a  vast  sheet  of  fire,  while  the  roaring  of  the 
storm  contributed  to  render  the  scene  awfully  sub- 
lime. These  thunder  storms  are  very  frequent  at  the 
extremity  of  the  lake,  where  it  rains  almost  inces- 
santly during  a  large  portion  of  the  year.  The  great 
»  mass  of  vapors  dispersed  throughout  the  atmospliere, 
carried  thither  by  the  sea  breezes,  is  doubtless  the 
cause  of  this  phenomenon.  Alluding  to  the  subject, 
Codazzi  has.  in  his  Geography  of  Yenezuela,  some 
noteworthy  remarks  :  "  In  the  regions  where  the  Cat- 


MARACAIBO.  39<) 

atumbo  disembogues,  storms  accumulate  more  fre- 
quently, while  the  thunder  and  lightning  often  fright- 
en the  navigator  there.  It  seems  as  if  the  electric 
fluid  was  a^so  more  concentrated  in  those  localities, 
where  a  luminous  phenomenon  may  be  perceived 
every  night,  which,  like  a  flash  of  lightning,  ilhimines 
the  atmosphere  from  time  to  time.  Observed  from 
the  sea,  the  flash  appears  as  though  directly  over  the 
island  of  Toas,  nearly  in  the  meridian  of  the  bar  of 
Maracaibo  ;  it  passes  over  the  mouth  of  the  Cata- 
tumbo,  and  serves  as  a  guide  to  mariners.  Can  it  be 
caused  by  the  exhalations  of  hydrogen  gas^'  from  the 
swamps,  which  occupy  a  vast  area  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Catatumbo  ? " 

After  impatiently  awaiting  there  for  more  than  a 
fortnight  the  advent  of  our  Leader,  desirous  of  joining 
him  without  further  delay,  I  engaged  a  man  to  take 
me  in  his  canoe  up  the  river,  despite  the  warnings  of 
my  comrades  respecting  the  guerillas  infesting  its 
banks.  I  was  not  much  encumbered  by  luggage, 
having  lost  every  thmg—^oin  Vhou7ieior — at  Taratara ; 
therefore  I  had  only  to  step  from  on  board  the 
schooner  into  the  little  craft  alongside,  bidding  adieu 
to  my  friends  the  Commissioners,  whom  I  promised  to 
rejoin  in  a  short  time  if  not  captured  by  the  gueril- 
las. A  young  man  bound  to  Cucuta,  bearing  de- 
spatches from  the  Governor  of  Maracaibo  to  Geneial 
Paez,  joined  me  as  I  was  leaving  the  schooner,  and 
the  sun  shining  powerfully  at  the  time,  we  both 
crawled  into  the  carroza^  a  sort  of  thatch  awning  Ave 

*  Carburcttcd  hydrogen  gas. — The  Author. 


400  WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

feet  long  by  half  that  number  wide,  in  the  stern  of 
the  canoe.  This  was  to  be  our  common  apartment 
for  the  next  twelve  or  fourteen  days  of  river  naviga- 
tion. 

We  had  not  proceeded  far,  when  the  canoe 
grounded  among  a  labyrinth  of  snags,  near  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  which  the  'patron  was  endeavoring  to 
reach  by  a  short  cut.  To  retrace  our  way  would  have 
been  as  unprofitable  as  the  endeavor  to  force  the 
canoe  through  the  stockade  that  barred  its  progress ; 
therefore  we  were  politely  requested  by  our  Charon 
to  lighten  his  barge  by  stepping  overboard,  wliich, 
considering  the  number  of  sting-rays  and  other  angry 
dwellers  of  the  waters  lurking  there,  I  regarded  as  a 
bad  commencement  for  our  journey.  Donde  manda 
capitan^  no  manda  marinero.'^  Having  therefore  no 
alternative  between  being  stuck  in  the  mud,  or  by 
the  bones  of  the  fish,  we  preferred  to  risk  the  latter, 
as  the  lesser  evil  of  the  two  ;  so  stumbling  here  and 
pulling  there,  we  finally  extricated  the  canoe  with 
only  the  loss  of  half  a  day,  which,  aware  of  the  re- 
ception awaiting  us  beyond  the  lake  from  the  mos- 
quitoes, we  did  not  much  regret. 

Toward  evening  we  commenced  ascending  the 
river,  sometimes  assisted  by  the  canalete,  where  the 
current  was  not  very  strong,  but  usually  by  means 
of  a  pole  hooked  into  the  branches  of  trees  skirting  the 
banks.  The  vegetation  was  superb  beyond  descrip- 
tion, the  river  being  entirely  hemmed  in  between 
walls  of  massive  foliage.     Occasionally  we  met  float- 

*  Where  the  captain  commands,  sailors  have  no  authority. 


MARACAIBO.  401 

ing  down  stream,  liiige  balsas,  or  rafts  of  timber,  cut 
upon  its  banks  and  towed  afterward  to  Maracaibo, 
by  a  long  and  circuitous  route  along  the  irregular 
shores  of  tlie  lake. 

So  far,  we  had  not  been  troubled  by  mosquitoes  ; 
but  hardly  did  the  shadows  of  night  close  upon  the 
scene,  than  we  w^ere  apprised  of  their  vicinity,  by  a 
low  humming  sound  proceeding  from  the  forest, 
which,  gradually  approaching,  occasioned  us  direful 
forebodings.  The  'patron  advised  us  to  light  our 
segars  an  hour  or  two  before  retiring  to  our  narrow 
apartment,  if  we  wished  to  escape  their  importunities. 
This,  however,  proved  a  poor  expedient,  as  the  entire 
night  was  spent  in  directing  at  our  unseen  enemies 
blows,  from  which,  as  a  general  thing,  we  ourselves 
were  the  only  sufferers.  In  the  sharper  sting  and 
loud  triumphant  song  of  many  among  them,  I  recog- 
nized my  old  acquaintances,  the  pnllones.  Add  to 
these  aggravations,  a  continuous  drizzling  rain  upon 
our  uncovered  feet,  which  would  project  outside  the 
carroza,  and  some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the  tor- 
ments wx  endured  during  that  and  the  following 
night.  I  was  revolving  in  my  mind  serious  thoughts 
of  abandoning  my  trip  to  New  Granada,  and  return- 
ing to  the  lake  by  the  first  balsa  floating  down  the 
stream,  when,  toward  the  morning  of  the  third  day, 
I  heard  the  heavy  stroke  of  oars  against  the  sides  of 
some  bongo  rapidly  approaching  from  up  the  river. 
"  Listen  !  "  I  exclaimed  to  my  companion  ;  "  get 
your  despatches  ready  to  be  pitched  into  the  river,  for 
I  fear  the  monagueros  are  upon  us."  When  within 
hailing  distance,  we  gave  the  qxii  vive,     A  friendly 


402  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

voice,  wliicli  I  immediately  recognized  as  tliat  of 
Roseliano,  answered  "  Paez ! "  and  a  moment  after- 
ward, two  huge  bongoes  full  of  men  w^ere  alongside 
of  our  frail  canoe.  To  pick  up  my  bundle  of  segars, 
— actually  the  only  remaining  property  I  possessed  in 
the  world, — and  jump  on  board  one  of  them  was  the 
w^ork  of  an  instant.  The  passengers  proved  to  be 
the  faithful  Llanero  Guard,  which  had  followed  our 
Leader  into  l^ew  Granada ;  but  my  disappointment 
was  great  on  learning  from  them  that  the  General 
had  abandoned  the  idea  of  coming  to  Maracaibo  by 
this  route,  giving  the  preference  to  that  of  the  Mag- 
dalena  River,  which,  although  much  longer,  would 
enable  him  to  stop  at  Jamaica  and  other  West  India 
ishmds,  before  again  confronting  his  old  antagonist, 
Monagas. 

We  availed  ourself  of  the  opportunity  offered  by  the 
bongoes  to  return  to  the  lake,  where — to  the  no  small 
satisfaction  of  the  crowded  party  on  board  them,  we 
found  the  schooners  still  waiting  for  more  definite  in- 
formation concerning  the  anxiously  looked-for  arrival 
of  the  General.  All  w^ere  transferred  to  the  schoon- 
ers w^ithout  delay,  and  a  fine  land-breeze  blowing  at 
the  time,  we  made  all  sail  for  Maracaibo,  carrying 
thither  the  vexatious  news  of  our  unfulfilled  commis- 
sion. The  low  lands  of  Congo  bay  were  soon  lost 
sight  of,  and  then  the  broad  expanse  of  fresh  water, 
heaving  like  the  ocean,  was  all  we  saw.  It  blew  and 
rained  heavily  through  the  night ;  but  the  next  day 
the  clouds  lifted,  affording  us  a  distant  view  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada,  rising  in  snowy  peaks  thousands  of 
feet  above  the  region  of  the  clouds. 


MARACAIBO.  403 

It  would  almost  seem,  from  the  fact  of  this  vast 
body  of  water  penetrating  so  far  inland,  that  Provi- 
dence had  expressly  designed  it  to  bring  into  near 
proximity  the  sea-coast  and  the  lands  at  the  foot  of  the 
higher  cordilleras  of  Merida  and  Triijillo,  whose  fertile 
slopes  in  the  form  of  table-lands  stretch  to  the  borders 
of  this  splendid  lake.  So  great  are  their  extent  and 
astonishing  fertility,  so  numerous  the  navigable 
streams,  by  which  they  are  watered,  and  various  the 
climates  in  those  regions,  that  time  alone  is  wanting 
to  render  them  the  seat  of  a  vast  commerce.  Between 
the  lake  and  the  sierras  surrounding  it,  the  people 
and  products  of  Europe  and  America  can  find  each 
their  congenial  temperature,  from  the  burning  heats 
of  the  tropics  to  the  chilling  frosts  of  winter,  or  the 
eternal  snows  of  polar  regions. 

A  dead  calm,  which  fortunately,  as  we  were  al- 
ready short  of  provisions,  only  lasted  until  sundown, 
succeeded  tlie  boisterous  night ;  otherwise  we  would 
have  fared  rather  poorly  during  the  passage  to  Mara- 
caibo,  which  place  we  reached  toward  morning. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 


THE    GOAJIROS. 


The  arrival  of  our  vessels  in  the  harbor  naturally 
attracted  thither  a  great  crowd  of  anxious  friends  in 
hopes  to  find  there  the  one  wlio,  they  trusted,  would 
deliver  them  in  the  impending  struggle  that  menaced 
from  across  the  lake ;  for  the  enemy,  who  had  already 
arrived  at  Altagracia,  opposite  Maracaibo,  were 
known  to  be  making  preparations  for  crossing  to  La 
Goajira,  and  for  marching  thence  by  land  to  invade  the 
province.  The  undertaking  was,  however,  fraught 
with  peril  to  the  attacking  forces,  from  the  notorious 
hostility  of  the  Indians  and  other  formidable  obstacles 
to  be  encountered  along  the  route.  Unfortunately, 
the  greatest  anarchy  reigned  at  the  time  among  our 
own  people,  who,  finding  no  cooperation  from  their 
terrified  leaders,  already  despaired  of  success  in  re- 
pelling the  invaders.  Tlie  disappointment  therefore 
they  experienced  at  not  findiYig  in  our  vessels  the 
cherished  object  of  their  hopes,  may  be  easily  imag- 
ined. Men,  wringing  their  liands,  frantically  paced 
the  wharf  in  utter  dejection  of  spirit,  while  the  women 


THE  GOAJIROS.  405 

of  all  ranks,  who  have  ever  manifested  a  strong  sym- 
pathy for  the  "  Esclarecido,"— General  Paez— sat  down 
and  wept  bitter  tears  of  disappoinment  beneath  the 
grateful  palms  that  surromid  their  homes. 

While  wandering  through  the  streets  of  the  city, 
not  knowing  where  to  find  an  abiding  place,  I  was 
politely  accosted  by  several  gentlemen,  wdio,  on  hear- 
ing of  my  unfortunate  mishap  at  Taratara,  wdiere  I 
lost  the  little  I  had  saved  from  the  flame  of  revolution, 
hastened  to  ofier  me  their  homes  and  purses.  I  ac- 
cepted the  hospitality  of  Don  Antonio  Montiel,  whose 
kindness  on  this  occasion,  as  well  as  that  of  his  estima- 
ble family,  is  still  fresh  in  the  memory  of  the  exile. 
While  there,  I  had  an  opportunity  of  witnessing  the 
dreadful  eifects  of  the  animal  poison,  used  by  the  sav- 
ages of  La  Goajira,  and  wdiich  I  can  only  compare  to 
the  madness  induced  by  hydrophobia. 

My  host,  Don  Antonio,  owned  a  cattle-farm  on  the 
frontiers,  not  far  from  the  fort  of  San  Carlos,  and 
w^hile  his  men,  four  in  number,  were  engaged  in  driv- 
ing some  tame  animals  to  the  corrals,  a  hidden  host 
of  red-skins  issuing  suddenly  from  the  bushes,  sent  a 
shower  of  poisoned  arrows  amidst  the  drivers,  killing 
one  man  instantly  and  wounding  two  more.  Of  these 
one  was  taken  to  the  fort ;  the  other,  a  slave  of  Senor 
Montiel,  being  sent  to  him  at  Maracaibo.  Although 
the  w^ound  was  a  flesh  one,  his  master  at  once  gave 
the  necessary  orders  for  his  approaching  interment, 
as  nothing  could  save  him.  The  poor  fellow  appeared 
perfectly  resigned,  and  answered  all  my  questions 
w^ith  apparent  unconcern.  On  the  second  day  the 
poison  manifested  itself  by  occasional  twitchings  of 


406  "^^ILD   SCENES   IN  SOUTH   AMERICA. 

the  nerves,  wliicli  increased  gradually  to  violent  jerks 
of  the  whole  frame,  until  death  relieved  the  agonized 
sufferer. 

There  is  no  known  antidote  to  this  poison,  except 
that  of  immediate  cauterization,  where  the  wound  is 
not  too  deep.  Aware  of  this,  the  vengeful  Indian 
makes  his  arrow's  tip  of  the  bone  of  the  sting-ray, 
notching  it  deeply  in  several  places,  so  that  it  is  sure 
to  break  off  in  the  flesh,  while  the  serrated  edges  pre- 
vent its  extraction. 

Sefior  Monti  el,  who  for  many  years  had  traded 
with  this  savage  tribe  of  Indians,  and  was  well  ac- 
quainted with  their  history  and  habits,  gave  me  very 
interesting  details  concerning  them  and  the  con- 
cocting of  this  direful  poison.  The  contents  of  the 
witches'  caldron  in  "  Macbeth  "  was  a  harmless  drug 
in  comparison  with  it.  A  number  of  dead  reptiles, 
snakes,  toads  and  lizards,  with  a  sprinkling  of  centi- 
pedes, scorpions  and  tarantulas,  are  placed  in  a  gourd 
and  allowed  to  rot  until  they  all,  "  like  a  hell  broth, 
boil  and  bubble "  into  a  yellowish  liquid,  which  col- 
lects at  the  bottom  of  the  gourd :  in  this,  the  points 
of  the  arrows  are  steeped,  and  then  laid  aside  to  dry. 

The  Goajiros  are  equally  expert  in  the  use  of  fire- 
arms, and  being  in  addition  most  accomplished  riders, 
they  oppose  a  formidable  barrier  against  the  perma- 
nent occupation  of  their  territory.  They  were  per- 
haps the  first  inventors  of  conical  balls,  which  they 
have  been  in  the  habit  of  manufacturing  for  them- 
selves since  they  have  become  masters  of  the  gun ; 
and  so  expeditious  are  they  in  their  management  of 
it,  that  they  can  load  and  fire  in  less  time  than  any 


THE  GOAJIROS.  407 

veteran  soldiers  opposed  to  them.  Tliis  they  eft'ect  by 
drilling  wider  the  vent  of  the  old  flint  muskets,  the 
only  t)nes  then  nsed  in  Venezuela,  thus  facilitating 
the  run  of  the  powder  into  the  pan  when  the  cartridge 
is  introduced  into  the  barrel,  and  the  ball  being 
heavier  than  that  of  their  opponents,  a  blow  upon 
the  ground  with  the  but-end  of  the  musket  while 
they  fly  swiftly  around  the  enemy,  is  sufhcient  to  load 
and  prime  it.  They  understand  also  that,  by  raising 
the  muzzle  of  the  gun,  a  longer  range  is  attained — a 
practice  which  they  may  have  derived  from  constant 
use  of  the  bow  and  arrow.  But  from  whom  tliey 
acquired  their  scientific  use  of  other  weapons,  was 
more  than  my  friend  Don  Antonio  could  tell  me. 

Tlie  territory,  or  peninsula,  occupied  by  the  Goa- 
jiros,  has  long  been  the  subject  of  disputes  and 
reclamations  between  Yenezuela  and  New  Granada, 
lying,  as  it  does,  on  the  boundaries  of  both  republics ; 
and  although  the  former  only  claims  one  half  of  it, 
w^hile  the  other  demands  the  lion's  share,  the  fact  is, 
that  neither  of  them  has  reckoned  upon  the  host  there ; 
nor  have  they  exercised  any  jurisdiction  beyond  the 
forts  established  on  the  frontiers  to  check  the  forays 
of  their  savage  neighbors.  Indeed,  it  is  a  curious  cir- 
cumstance that,  while  all  the  other  tribes  of  Indians 
havdf  been  subdued  or  exterminated  in  South  America, 
neither  the  Araucanians  or  Patagonians  inhabiting 
the  extreme  soutli,  nor  the  Goajiros  of  the  far  north, 
have  ever  been  conquered  by  the  white  race.  Sev- 
eral steps  were  made  at  different  times  by  Yenezuela 
to  subjugate  the  Goajiros  ;  but  with  the  exception  of 
a  temporary  occupation  of  the  ground  held  by  the 


408  ^^^^^   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA 

soldiers  of  the  republic,  nothing  was  ever  gained  un- 
less it  be  an  increase  of  their  hatred  to  the  orijunas^ 
as  they  call  ns. 

The  habits  of  these  Indians  are  very  curious. 
They  live  in  communities  of  a  certam  number  of  fami- 
lies like  the  nomads  of  the  desert,  and  like  them  roam 
over  arid  plains  with  their  herds,  pitching  their  camp 
wherever  they  find  abundant  food  and  water  for  the 
cattle,  and  moving  off  to  another  place  only  when  the 
pastures  are  consumed.  They  possess  the  finest  breed 
of  cattle  and  horses  and  other  domestic  animals.  The 
head  of  the  nation  was  a  squaw,  Eosa  by  name,  her- 
self a  splendid  equestrian  as  well  as  archer.  Each 
tribe,  however,  is  under  the  immediate  control  of  a 
cacique,  who  exercises  a  sort  of  patriarchal  sway  over 
all  concerns  of  the  country.  The  head  of  a  family  re- 
ceives from  him  a  portion  of  stock  in  trust,  according 
to  the  number  of  individuals  composing  it.  These  are 
only  entitled  to  the  yield  of  the  herds,  the  cacique  re- 
serving to  himself  the  right  of  disposing  at  any  time  of 
those  animals  always  commanding  a  good  price  in  the 
market ;  they  readily  sell,  or  rather  exchange  them, 
on  the  frontiers  under  the  surveillance  of  government 
officers,  appointed  expressly  at  the  town  of  Sinamaica. 
This,  however,  does  not  prevent  the  white  traders  im- 
posing upon  the  ignorance  of  their  savage  custo^ners, 
who,  being  unacquainted  with  the  use  of  money,  dis- 
pose of  their  cattle  for  aguardiente,  worthless  trinkets, 
bridles,  knives,  cotton,  woods  and  colored  blankets, 
far  below  the  value  of  what  they  give  in  exchange. 

From  the  yarn  of  their  blankets,  pulled  apart  for 
the  purpose,  these  Indians  weave  elegant  scarfs  and 


THE  GOAJmOS.  409 

other  articles  of  dress,  displaying  tlieii-  innate  taste 
and  ingenuity.  The  Goajiros  do  not  go  nude  as  is  the 
practice  among  other  South-American  tribes,  but 
rather  pride  themselves,  especially  the  women,  upon 
a  profuse  display  of  printed  calico,  the  brightest  that 
England's  factories  can  produce.  Their  style  of  dress 
is  exceedingly  picturesque  and  unique.  The  men 
wear  a  sort  of  flowing  blouse  without  sleeves,  not  un- 
like the  dress  of  an  ancient  Eoman  warrior,  tied 
around  the  waist  by  a  long  scarf,  the  ends  of  which 
fall  gracefully  on  one  side.  When  the  weather  is 
warm,  the  upper  part  of  the  dress  is  allowed  to  drop 
down  over  the  sash,  thus  exposing  their  athletic 
shoulders  to  view.  The  chiefs  wear,  besides,  a  head- 
dress made  from  the  bright  feathers  of  the  macaw- 
parrot,  which  adds  greatly  to  their  picturesqueness,  es- 
pecially when  mounted  on  one  of  the  spirited  Goajiro 
horses.  The  latter  are  remarkable  for  fine  training, 
elegant  proportions  and  good  mettle,  and  invariably 
command  higher  prices  than  those  of  any  other  breed 
in  Yenezuela.  Tlie  training  they  receive  must  differ 
considerably  from  that  usually  practised  in  the  coun- 
try, as  these  noble  creatures  cannot  brook  the  touch  of 
spur  or  whip.  Another  distinguishing  mark  is  the 
peculiar  brand  imprinted  on  their  haunches  in  the 
form  of  geometrical  figures,  instead  of  the  letters  or 
hieroglyphics  used  in  other  portions  of  Yenezuela. 

Great  numbers  are  annually  exported  from  the 
peninsula,  notwithstanding  the  reluctance  of  the  In- 
dians to  part  with  their  steeds  ;  still  the  finest  among 
them  are  seldom,  if  ever,  permitted  to  go  out  of  the 
territory,  unless  it  be  through  some  stratagem  on  the 
18 


410  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

part  of  the  white  traders  who,  to  gain  their  ends,  often 
resort  to  the  disgraceful  plan  of  thoroughly  intoxicat- 
ing the  owner.  It  is  probably  owing  to  this  manifest 
disinclination  to  part  with  their  property,  that  the 
practice  arose  among  the  Indians  of  cutting  off  the 
ears  of  the  best  horses.  When  pressed  very  hard  to 
sell  one  of  these,  the  rider,  without  uttering  a  word, 
quietly  dismounts  and  drawing  the  long  knife  which  he 
carries  in  his  belt,  puts  an  end  to  the  transaction  by  de- 
priving the  poor  creature  of  those  valuable  appendages. 
"  There  !  orijuna  no  like  horse  without  ears  !  "  the 
redskin  exultingly  exclaims  ;  then,  jumping  upon  the 
back  of  his  mutilated  steed,  doubtless  regretting  that 
he  had  not  done  the  same  to  the  occasion  of  the  trans- 
action, resumes  his  dealings  with  the  astonished  trader, 
who,  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  add,  does  not  press  the 
bargain  further. 

Tlie  Goajiros  also  trade  largely  with  the  English 
and  Dutch  of  the  West  Indies,  from  whom  they  ob- 
tain more  substantial  commodities  in  the  shape  of  flint 
muskets,  powder  and  lead — articles  of  prime  necessity 
among  them,  and  which  they  cannot  procure  so  easily 
from  their  neighbors.  When  a  vessel  drops  anchor 
near  the  coast,  the  cacique  of  that  district,  accom- 
panied by  some  members  of  his  family,  immediately 
proceeds  in  his  canoe  to  welcome  the  strangers  ;  but 
before  entering  into  any  negotiations,  an  exchange  of 
hostages  takes  place.  _  This  is  a  custom  of  long  stand- 
ing among  these  savages,  a  custom  which,  to  their 
credit  be  it  acknowledged,  has  ever  been  held  sacred 
by  them  in  all  dealings  with  the  whites.  But,  a  short 
time  before  the  revolution,  the  reverse  had  been  the 


THE  GOAJIROS.  411 

case,  on  the  part  of  those  claiming  to  be  their  superiors 
in  civilization  and  morality. 

A  schooner  from  Curasao,  having  anchored  off 
the  Goajira  coast,  the  usual  method  of  communication 
with  strangers  was  promptly  resorted  to  by  the  cacique, 
who  sent  on  board  as  hostages  some  of  his  daughters. 
But,  instead  of  returning  an  equivalent  from  the  ves- 
sel, the  crew,  with  unparalleled  brutality,  fell  upon 
the  helpless  creatures,  whose  cries  alarmed  their 
friends  on  shore,  already  uneasy  at  the  detention  of 
the  canoe.  A  little  fleet  of  canoes  was  manned  with 
the  greatest  expedition,  and  a  dead  calm  occurring  at 
that  moment,  the  schooner  was  quickly  surrounded 
and  boarded  by  the  avenging  aborigines,  who  mas- 
sacred the  crew  and  burned  the  vessel,  but  spared  the 
lives  of  some  children  found  on  board. 

"When  the  facts  concerning  the  affair  were  known 
at  Curagao,  the  authorities  of  the  island,  instead  of 
viewing  the  fate  of  their  countrymen  as  a  just  retri- 
bution for  their  misdeed,  proceeded  to  demand  instant 
reparation  from  the  Yenezuelian  government,  although 
it  should  not  have  been  held  responsible  for  the  doings 
of  a  wild  tribe  of  Indians.  Fearing,  however,  to  com- 
promise the  national  dignity,  a  not  unfrequent  occur- 
rence between  weak  republics  and  European  nations, 
a  force  was  despatched  to  the  peninsula  from  Mara- 
caibo,  and  without  giving  previous  notice  to  the 
natives,  as  is  their  practice  when  about  to  commence 
their  hostilities,  attacked  them  and,  taking  prisoners 
several  of  their  most  prominent  warriors,  executed 
them  without  mercy.  Among  these  were  the  parties 
implicated  in  the  avenging  massacre,  whose  conduct 


412  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

on  that  occasion  should  have  taught  the  government 
how  to  maintain  the  dignity  of  a  people.  The  Goa- 
jiros,  taken  by  surprise,  offered  but  feeble  resistance 
to  an  overwhelming  force,  and  the  conquerors  hastened 
back  to  Maracaibo  for  want  of  water  in  the  sandy 
wastes  of  La  Goajira. 

The  hero  of  the  expedition  was  Colonel  Jose  Esco- 
lastico  Andrade,  the  same  who  a  little  later  so  inglo- 
riously  abandoned  the  city  and  all  its  charming 
women  to  their  fate,  at  the  approach  of  the  Mona- 
gueros,  and  who,  it  must  be  confessed,  on  this  occasion 
showed  himself  less  scholastic  in  military  tactics,  than 
he  obtained  credit  for  in  his  campaign  against  the  In- 
dians. It  is  related  that,  while  in  the  pursuit  of  this  ^ 
wild  set,  a  cacique  was  brought  hand-cuffed  before 
Don  Escolastico.  At  sight  of  the  hated  orijuna,  the 
Indian  warrior  could  not  conceal  his  indignation,  and 
addressing  the  commander  through  an  interpreter,  ex- 
claimed, while  he  struggled  to  free  himself :  "  Thou 
art  like  the  cunning  fox,  who  only  attacks  his  prey  in 
the  darkness  of  night." 

Quarrels  among  the  Goajiros  are  settled  by  arbi- 
tration of  the  elders,  providing  no  blood  has  been 
shed.  "When  this  occurs,  the  complainant  expects, 
besides,  a  compensation  in  cattle,  varying  in  number 
according  to  the  extent  of  the  injury  inflicted.  A  re- 
fusal to  pay  is  immediately  followed  by  a  challenge 
from  the  friends  of  the  injured  man,  invariably  result- 
ing in  the  death  of  several  on  both  sides.  As  a 
natural  consequence,  these  feuds  entail  new  reclama- 
tions and  renewed  hostilities,  w^hich  increase  the 
blood-tribute  beyond  the  ability  of  either  side  to 


THE  GOAJIROS.  41^ 

satisfy.  Thus  it  often  happens  that  the  strife  ends 
only  with  the  extermination  of  the  contending  par- 
ties. From  this  cause  it  is  asserted  that  the  popula- 
tion, which  formerly  numbered  60,000,  has  dwindled 
down  to  15,000.  But  this  is  of  course  mere  conjec- 
ture, as  no  one  has  ever  ventured,  beyond  the  frontier 
forts,  for  the  purpose  of  taking  the  census. 

The  Goajiros  devote  themselves  also  to  the  culti- 
vation of  the  soil,  a  chain  of  mountains  running 
through  their  territory  offering  them  excellent  landa 
for  the  purpose.  Don  Antonio  Montiel  found  them 
always  ready  to  work  for  him  in  his  extensive  estab* 
lishments  on  the  Goajira  coast  for  cutting  braziletto- 
wood,  and  has  even  employed  them  very  successfully 
in  his  cacao  plantation  at  Zulia.  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  Lake  of  Maracaibo. 

Attached  to  the  Goajiro  nation  is  an  inferior  tribe 
of  Indians,  the  Cocinas,  whom  they  have  subjugated 
and  hold  as  slaves,  not  even  permitting  them  to  dress 
like  themselves  or  wear  arms  of  any  sort.  The  Co- 
cinas are  supposed  to  have  originally  come  from  the 
unexplored  Sierra,  forming  the  boundary  between  the 
province  of  Maracaibo  and  the  northern  part  of  New 
Granada. 

Although  considered  in  the  light  of  savages,  the 
Goajiros  have  given  proof,  on  several  occasions,  that 
they  are  not  altogether  insensible  to  the  calls  of 
humanity  and  generosity.  During  my  sojourn  in 
Maracaibo,  an  English  bark  bound  to  Carthagena  was 
wrecked  on  their  dangerous  coast  during  the  night ; 
the  crew  would  have  all  perished  amidst  the  foaming 
breakers,  but  for  the  exertions  of  the  Indians  who, 


414  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

being  excellent  swimmers  and  well  acquainted  with 
the  place,  not  only  saved  every  soul  on  board,  but 
likewise  a  great  portion  of  the  cargo.  The  same 
humane  conduct  was  displayed  by  them  toward  the 
family  of  Senor  Gallegos,  a  prominent  citizen  of  Mara- 
caibo  ;  they,  being  also  wrecked  on  the  Goajira  coast, 
were  saved,  and  afterward  escorted  by  the  savages  to 
the  castle  of  San  Carlos. 

When  all  the  avenues  of  communication  between 
Maracaibo  and  the  "  outside  barbarians  "  were  cut  off 
by  the  blockading  forces  of  Monagas,  the  Goajiros 
proved  invaluable  couriers  for  the  transmission  of  our 
despatches  through  their  territory.  A  prince  of  their 
nation  had  in  former  years  paid  a  visit  to  General 
Faez,  then  President  of  the  republic,  who  received 
him  wdth  becoming  dignity  and  respect ;  and  so  de- 
lighted was  His  Highness  of  the  red-skin  with  the 
cordial  treatment  and  presents  which  he  received  on 
this  occasion  from  the  General,  that  he  remained  ever 
after  his  warm  friend  and  admirer.  In  acknowledg- 
ment of  this  and  other  civilities,  the  Goajiro  nation 
now  became  a  sort  of  volunteer  ally  and  warm  sup- 
porter of  our  cause,  even  to  the  extent  of  attacking 
the  forces  of  Monagas,  while  passing  through  their 
territory  to  invade  the  province.  Owing  to  the 
reprehensible  negligence  of  our  commanders  who 
failed  to  guard  against  it,  this  event  took  place  when 
least  expected ;  and  although  our  Indian  allies  did 
their  utmost  to  check  the  advance  of  the  enemy,  the 
reverse  was  the  dastardly  conduct  of  those  intrusted 
with  the  custody  of  tlie  public  safety.  Instead  of 
sending  our  fleet  to  capture  or  destroy  the  few  vessels 


THE  GOAJIROS.  415 

sent  by  Monagas  to  the  coast  of  Coro  for  the  trans- 
portation of  his  troops,  they  held  it  back  in  readiness 
to  decamp,  which  they  did  the  moment  it  became 
known  that  a  landing  on  the  Goajira  coast  had  been 
effected,  while  the  enemy  were  still  many  miles  from 
Maracaibo.  The  indignation  of  the  people  was  so 
great,  that  some  of  the  leaders  would  have  undoubted- 
ly fallen  a  sacrifice  to  public  vengeance,  but  for  the 
presence  of  the  fleet  and  a  squadron  of  cavalry,  com- 
posed mainly  of  Llaneros.  Even  so  they  had  great 
difficulty  in  accomplishing  the  embarcation  of  the 
troops,  only  one  half  of  which  ever  reached  their  desti- 
nation, the  castle  of  San  Carlos. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  invading  forces  were  every 
day  being  terribly  decimated  by  the  poisoned  ar- 
rows and  conical  balls  of  the  Indian  warriors  who,  in 
addition,  poisoned  the  few  wells  along  the  route,  which 
they  paved  with  concealed  arrow-heads,  set  upright  be- 
neath the  sand  ;  as  none  of  the  soldiers  in  our  armies 
wear  shoes,  those  who  escaped  the  unerring  aim  of 
the  arrows,  fell  afterward  victims  to  the  virus  of  the 
hidden  ones.  Many  also  perished  amidst  these  burn- 
ing sands  for  want  of  water,  and  were  afterward 
almost  disheartened  by  an  excess  of  it,  as  the  ragged 
vagabonds  found  the  river  Socuy  swollen  to  overflow. 

All  the  canoes  had  been  removed  by  order  of  Ser- 
rano, the  Governor  of  Maracaibo ;  but  this  did  not 
deter  Cast  ell  i,  the  commander  of  the  invading  forces, 
from  crossing  on  rafts,  finding  no  foe  there  to  dispute 
his  passage.  A  few  companies  of  fusiliers  would  have 
been  sufficient  to  hold  them  in  check,  while  the  Indians 
were  constantly  hovering  on  their  rear  ;  and  although 


416  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

some  troops  and  armed  piraguas  liad  been  detailed 
with  that  object,  the  cowardly  commanders  abandoned 
the  river  at  sight  of  the  enemy  and  returned  to  Mara- 
caibo,  only  to  increase  the  alarm  of  the  no  less  pusil- 
lanimous leaders  there. 

Many  days  after  the  latter  had  retired  to  the  castle, 
the  enemy,  in  bands  of  one  or  two  hundred,  with  all 
their  powder  wet,  and  ready  to  throw  themselves 
upon  the  mercy  of  their  antagonists,  appeared  before 
the  city,  which  they  occupied  without  the  least  oppo- 
sition. Even  then  it  would  have  been  an  easy  task 
to  make  them  all  prisoners,  as  it  was  known  that  the 
fever,  contracted  in  their  passage  through  the  marshy 
borders  of  the  Socuy,  had  broken  out  among  them, 
while  all  communication  with  their  base  of  operations 
was  effectually  cut  off  by  our  fleet.  Still  the  pol- 
troons who  held  the  fate,  not  only  of  their  own  province 
but  also  of  the  whole  country  in  their  hands,  with  an 
enthusiastic  population  to  back  them  and  abundant 
resources  at  command,  hesitated  for  a  long  time  to  in- 
vest the  city  with  the  forces  under  them,  contenting 
themselves  with  a  little  skirmishing  and  a  useless 
waste  of  ammunition  at  long  range.  Tired  at  length 
of  this  amusement,  and  having  more  vessels  than  they 
required,  they  conceived  the  grand  idea  of  detailing  a 
portion  of  the  fleet  to  frighten  Monagas  in  his  capital, 
by  sending  a  few  random  shots  along  the  coast  of  La 
Guaira  and  Puerto  Cabello.  As  I  was  also  growing 
weary  of  my  confinement  in  the  narrow  island  of  San 
Carlos,  I  gladly  joined  the  expedition,  although  I  en- 
tertained but  little  hope  of  its  ultimate  success.* 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

A   CETJISE  IN  THE   CAEIBBEAN   SEA. 

On  the  15tli  of  July,  1848,  tlie  yessels,  ten  in 
number,  intended  for  the  expedition,  were  assembled 
at  Bajo-Seco,  a  sandy  islet  near  the  bar,  forming  a 
small  bay  opposite  the  castle  of  San  Carlos.  The 
Honorable  J.  H.  Garcia,  one  of  the  five  members  of 
Congress,  whose  heads  were  so  highly  prized  by  Mo- 
nagas,  harangued  the  troops,  two  hundred  strong, 
intended  for  this  formidable  expedition,  after  which 
they  were  distributed  on  board  the  different  trans- 
ports. These  consisted  of  the  bark  Maracaibo,  mount- 
ing seven  guns ;  schooners  Constitucion,  six ;  Faez  and 
Diez  de  Junio,  three ;  and  the  others  a  pivot-gun  each. 

We  were  obliged  to  wait  several  hours  at  Bajo- 
Seco  until  the  high-tide  should  permit  the  bark,  which 
drew  a  little  over  eleven  feet,  to  pass  over  the  bar. 
Toward  evening  we  were  fairly  out  to  sea,  and  from 
that  moment  commenced  our  troubles  and  sufferings, 
the  whole  night  being  employed  in  making  short 
tacks,  to  avoid  the  dangerous  breakers  at  the  mouth 
18* 


4,18  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

of  the  lake,  with  a  heavy  sea  washing  constantly  over- 
head. 

"When  morning  dawned  we  found  ourselves  nearer 
the  point  of  our  departure  than  from  the  reckoning  of 
the  tacks  we  had  supposed,  the  current  having  driven 
us  during  the  night  in  the  direction  of  the  bar ;  so 
that,  after  fifteen  hours'  sailing,  we  were  still  in  sight 
of  the  castle. 

The  following  night  was  even  worse  than  the  pre- 
ceding, the  wind  increasing  in  violence  as  the  sun 
went  down.  The  sea  rose  so  high  that  more  than  once 
it  was  feared  our  bark  would  be  thrown  on  her  beam 
ends.  From  one  of  the  schooners  a  soldier  fell  over- 
board ;  and.  although  the  night  was  intensely  dark, 
and  in  spite  of  the  heavy  sea,  the  gallant  mate  Poca- 
terra  immediately  went  into  a  boat  to  search  for  him, 
declaring  that  unless  the  man  was  devoured  by 
sharks,  he  was  certain  to  maintain  himself  afloat  until 
assistance  could  reach  him.  After  a  search  of  two 
hours,  the  soldier  was  picked  up  by  the  boat,  having 
escaped  both  the  fury  of  the  waves  and  the  voracity 
of  the  sharks.  My  admiration  was  equally  divided 
between  the  great  powers  of  endurance  displayed  by 
the  preserved,  and  the  hardihood  of  his  preserver. 

Six  or  seven  days  were  spent  in  vain  endeavors  to 
reach  the  island  of  Oruba,  a  distance  which,  had  the 
wind  and  current  been  in  our  favor,  we  could  have 
accomplished  in  as  many  hours.  As  the  provisions 
were  already  nearly  exhausted,  it  was  decided  to  tack 
for  the  bay  of  Los  Taques,  not  an  inappropriate  name, 
on  the  coast  of  Coro,  where  some  fishermen  supplied 
us  with  salt  jurel^  a  fish  very  abundant  at  that  place. 


A  CRUISE  IN  THE  CARIBBEAN  SEA.  419 

Our  next  effort  to  reach  Oruba  resulted  in  a  worse 
failure,  as  we  were  carried  along  by  the  tide  for  a 
considerable  distance.  I  proposed  to  our  commander 
that  he  would  depress  the  muzzle  of  the  pivot-gun 
and  pennit  me  to  apply  a  match  to  the  touch-hole, 
the  result  of  which  operation  would  certainly  have 
been  to  impel  us  most  rapidly  down  the  gulf ;  the 
captain  then  informed  me  that,  not  long  before,  the 
commander  of  a  Danish  man-of-war  had  been  de- 
tained for  over  thirty  days  on  this  very  spot,  and 
despairing  of  ever  ascending  the  channel  between 
Oruba  and  the  coast  of  Paraguana,  he  carried  into 
execution  the  plan,  which  I  flattered  myself  had  orig- 
inated in  my  own  brain,  and  which  I  proposed  as  an 
effectual  termination  to  our  successive  disappoint- 
ments. 

It  was  indeed  most  discouraging  to  be  constantly 
in  sight  of  the  land,  where  we  expected  to  obtain 
fresh  provisions  and  a  pilot,  but  which  we  of  the 
bark  seemed  destined  never  to  reach.  The  schooners, 
from  the  nature  of  their  rigging,  could  sail  more 
easily  along  the  channel  against  a  head  wind ;  two 
of  them  were  therefore  despatched  to  Curacao  for 
the  purpose  of  apprising  our  friends  of  our  serious 
contretemps^  and  to  obtain  there  the  much  needed  pro- 
visions. 

A  slight  change  of  weather  at  length  allowed  the 
rest  of  the  fleet  to  reach  the  western  end  of  Oruba, 
and  with  the  assistance  of  a  pilot  from  that  island,  we 
were  enabled  to  proceed  on  our  voyage  of  adventure 
as  far  as  Cura9ao.  Tliere  we  were  joined  by  the  other 
vessels,  and  refreshed  with  sundry  baskets  of  most 


420  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

delicious  fruits  sent  on  board  by  our  friends,  and  we 
then  set  sail  again  for  the  coast  of  Venezuela. 

Contrary  to  the  instructions  received  from  the 
Commander-in-chief,  then  at  St.  Thomas  much  en- 
feebled by  another  attack  of  fever,  to  proceed  direct 
to  the  island  of  Margarita,  whose  inhabitants  were 
most  friendly  to  our  cause,  the  insubordinate  com- 
manders of  the  fleet  commenced  a  sort  of  filibustering 
raid  against  unofi'ending  trading  vessels  on  the  coast. 
Guerra  avisada^  no  mata  soldado — ^fore-warned,  fore- 
armed. Warned  of  our  approach  in  time,  and  com- 
prehending our  purpose,  the  enemy  of  course  made 
preparations  to  meet  us  at  all  points  and  despatched 
a  steamer  with  troops  to  garrison  the  forts  of  Mar- 
garita. 

While  in  pursuit  of  a  schooner  from  La  Guaira, 
we  were  drawn  under  the  fire  of  the  castle  at  Puerto 
Cabello,  and  the  Constitucion  very  narrowly  escaped 
being  sunk  by  the  heavy  artillery  of  the  "  Caballero." 
We  were  so  near  land,  that  the  guerillas  on  shore 
opened  upon  us  a  sharp  fire  of  musketry  from  behind 
the  bushes.  We  returned  the  compliment  with  grape 
and  shot,  when  they  quickly  showed  us  their  heels. 
During  the  engagement.  Captain  Las  Casas,  of  Cara- 
cas, now  a  General,  while  standing  near  me,  was 
struck  by  a  musket  ball  on  the  nose,  which  feature 
was  previously  a  little  one-sided.  Feeling  no  incon- 
venience from  the  blow,  except  a  temporary  inflamma- 
tion, we  concluded  that  the  ball  had  only  grazed  the 
part,  although  to  the  astonishment  of  his  companions 
and  his  own  satisfaction,  his  nose  from  that  time 
became  permanently  straight.      Ten  years  after  the 


A  CRUISE  IN  THE  CARIBBEAN  SEA.  421 

occurrence  of  tins  event,  on  returning  to  Caracas  from 
exile,  I  was  surprised  to  hear  there  one  morning  that 
the  General  had  coughed  up  a  musket-ball  during  the 
night.  The  aft'air  naturally  excited  a  good  deal  of 
talk  throughout  the  city  ;  but  on  examination  by  com- 
petent persons,  it  was  discovered  that  the  missile, 
doubtless  the  identical  one  tired  at  him  by  the  gue- 
rillas, proceeded  from  his  nose,  having  worked  itself 
a  passage  through  the  roof  of  his  mouth  into  his  throat. 
It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  General's  personal 
appearance  had  undergone  so  remarkable  a  change, 
having  an  ounce  of  lead  lodged  in  the  bridge  of  his 
nose.  Had  the  bullet  penetrated  a  line  deeper,  he 
would  have  been  spared  the  annoyance  resulting  from 
repeated  doses  of  mercurial  compounds,  sarsaparilla, 
and  other  medicaments  administered  by  his  physician, 
under  the  supposition  that  the  hardening  and  swelling 
of  his  nose  arose  from  a  different  cause. 

We  continued  sailing  along  the  coast,  with  occa- 
sional stoppages  at  the  plantations,  intending  to  pro- 
cure there  fresh  provisions  or  capture  some  stray 
falucho,  loaded  with  cacao,  for  which  the  wealthy  oli- 
garcas  were  afterward  made  to  pay  handsomely.  As 
we  approached  the  eastern  sea,  iish  were  so  abundant, 
that  our  gallant  commanders  gave  up  their  wild-goose 
chase  for  the  more  entertaining  sport  afforded  by  the 
hook  and  line.  Each  time  the  bait  was  cast  over- 
board, we  had  the  satisfaction  of  hauling  in  a  carite^ 
or  its  larger  congener  the  sierra^  two  species  of 
mackerel,  occasionally  taken  on  the  coast  of  the 
United  States  under  the  name  of  Spanish  mackerel, 
but  extremely  common  in  the  Caribbean  Sea.     They 


422  WILD  SCENES    IN    SOUTH    AMERICA. 

abound  especially  about  the  uumerous  keys  and  islets 
of  the  main,  where  a  boat  can  be  loaded  in  a  short 
space  of  time  by  merely  angling  for  them  with  a  bent 
nail  for  hook,  and  a  white  rag  for  bait.  A  third  spe- 
cies, the  bonito,  to  its  delicate  flavor  adds,  as  its  name 
implies,  a  most  beautiful  appearance,  especially  wjien 
living. 


But  no  description  can  convey  a  just  idea  of  the 
rapidly  changing  and  brilliant  tints  observable  in  a 
dying  dolphin.  The  Aurora  Borealis  would  pale  be- 
fore it,  and  the  painter  might  seek  in  vain  on  his  pallet 
for  colors  to  equal  the  various  tints  of  purple,  gold 
and  emerald,  which  pass  and  repass  over  its  body 
"  till  the  dark  hand  of  death  closes  the  scene."  The 
dolphin  is  one  of  the  swiftest  creatures  that  plough 
the  waters  of  the  broad  ocean ;  many  of  them  are 
caught  by  the  hook  and  line  from  vessels  sailing  rap- 
idly in  the  Caribbean  Sea.  They  seem  particularly 
to  delight  in  the  most  arduous  undertakings,  chasing 
the  flying-fish,  which  they  unfailingly  capture  the 
moment  it  touches  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  fol- 
lowing bait  at  the  end  of  a  line  trailing  from  a  vessel 


A  CRUISE  IN  THE  CARIBBEAN  SEA.  423 

while  at  full  speed  ;  otherwise  they  "  won't  take  "  the 
hook. 


Among  others,  caught  from  our  schooner,  was  a 
large  sword-fish  measuring  ten  feet  in  length,  and 
w^eighing  seventy-five  pounds.  It  gave  us  consider- 
able trouble  to  pull  him  on  deck,  requiring  the  efiTorts 
of  two  men,  and  he  was  not  secured  until  he  had  struck 
the  vessel  several  blows  with  his  powerful  bayonet- 
shaped  rostrum,  a  portion  of  which  was  left  embedded 
in  the  copper  sheathing  of  the  schooner.  Some  attain 
still  larger  dimensions,  measuring  from  fifteen  to 
twenty  feet,  and  weighing  as  much  again,  in  propor- 
tion to  the  size  of  the  one  caught  on  that  occasion. 

Next  to  the  shark,  the  sword-fish  is  perhaps  the 
most  dangerous  inhabitant  of  those  seas,  attacking  in- 
discriminately whatever  comes  in  his  way.  Tlie  bulky 
sperm-whale,  or  chacalote^  especially  ofifers  him  a  con- 
venient mark  on  which  to  exercise  his  belligerent  pro- 
pensities, his  peculiar  shape  enabling  the  sword-fish 
to  penetrate  deeply  into  the  body  of  his  antagonist, 
from  which  he  seldom  comes  out  again.  Not  even 
sailing  vessels  are  exempt  from  his  attacks,  although 
usually  at  i\\Q  expense  of  his  formidable  weapon,  which 
is  almost  invariably  left  broken  off  in  the  timbers. 

The  conformation  of  this  fish  is  admirably  adapted 


424:  '^ILD    SCENES    IN    SOUTH  AMERICA. 

for  his  fighting  proclivities.  His  body,  sharp  and 
smooth  on  the  surface,  but  endowed  internally  with 
muscles  as  strong  as  those  of  the  rhinoceros,  is  armed 
with  that  terrible  weapon  of  destruction  from  which 
he  derives  his  name,  and  which  is  a  prolongation  of 
the  frontal  bone.  The  dorsal  and  ventral  iins  exhibit 
a  peculiarity  not  met  with  in  any  other  fish :  these  are 
disposed  in  such  a  manner  as  to  admit  of  their  being 
folded  inside  longitudinal  cavities  on  the  back  and 
belly  of  the  fish.  The  former  is  quite  a  curiosity  in 
itself,  opening  and  closing  like  an  India  rubber  fan, 
w^hich  it  much  resembles.  It  is  of  a  dark  purple 
color,  and  extends  nearly  the  whole  length  of  the 
body. 

Among  the  endless  superstitions  of  the  lower 
classes  in  my  country,  there  exists  one,  from  time  im- 
memorial occasioning  a  curious  custom  at  La  Guaira 
of  watching  the  horizon  on  Good-Friday  for  "  the 
fight "  between  a  whale  and  a  sword-fish.  They  be- 
lieve that  on  that  holyday  two  of  these  monsters,  im- 
pelled thereunto  by  a  natural  sentiment  of  piety,  meet 
in  deadly  combat  to  offer  themselves  as  sacrifice  for 
the  misdeeds  of  the  finny  tribe  ;  and  the  breaking  of 
the  waves  into  white  foam,  an  occurrence  daily  before 
their  eyes,  is  readily  converted  by  their  benighted 
imaginations  into  the  furious  splash  of  the  comba- 
tants. 

Another  popular  belief  in  connection  with  Good- 
Friday  is,  that  persons  then  bathing  in  sea  or  river, 
are  instantly  transformed  into  fish  ;  and  so  powerful 
an  influence  does  this  superstition  exert  on  the  minds 
of  many  throughout  the   country,  that  they  would 


A  CRUISE  IN  THE  CARIBBEAN  SEA. 


425 


426  WILD    SCENES  IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

sooner  think  of  wading  through  the  Stygian  Lake, 
than  of  phmging  beneath  deep  water  on  that  day. 

The  excellence  and  abundance  of  the  fish,  and  the 
excitement  of  catching  them,  contributed  greatly  to 
vary  the  monotony  of  our  tedious  voyage.  With  the 
exception  of  the  bark,  all  the  other  vessels  w^ere  so 
small  that  we  were  compelled  to  remain  on  deck 
both  day  and  night.  Happily,  not  a  single  case  of 
sickness  occurred  during  the  trip,  although  all  were 
constantly  exposed  to  the  equinoctial  sun  and  showers. 
The  sea  air  of  Venezuela  is  remarkably  healthful  at 
all  seasons  ;  owing  to  local  causes,  fevers  are  inciden- 
tal to  but  few  places  along  the  coast.  The  trade-wind 
is  also  singularly  uniform,  the  fearful  hurricanes  so 
prevalent  in  the  West  Indies  being  unknown  there. 

We  hailed  at  length  the  high  mountains  of  Co- 
lombia's brightest  jewel,  Margarita — the  pearl — so 
named  by  Columbus  from  the  abundance  and  splen- 
dor of  those  gems  obtained  by  him  from  the  aborig- 
ines on  his  third  voyage  of  discovery  to  America. 
The  island  has  subsequently  become  more  celebrated 
by  the  heroic  resistance  of  the  inhabitants  against  the 
combined  forces  of  Spain  by  land  and  water,  winning 
for  her  the  glorious  appellation  of  New  Sparta. 

While  steering  for  that  brave  little  island  in  hopes 
of  finding  there  at  least  space  sufiicient  in  which  to 
stretch  our  weary  limbs  cramped  by  long  confinement 
to  the  small  vessels,  our  gallant  fleet  had  a  splendid 
chase  after  the  Yankee  steamer  that  carried  there  the 
reenforcemenits  sent  by  Monagas.  Doubtless,  mistak- 
ing our  vessels  for  the  squadron  of  the  latter,  momen- 
tarily expected  in  those  waters",  the  steamer  was  ap- 


A  CRUISE  IN  THE  CARIBBEAN  SEA  427 

proaching  us  under  a  full  head  of  steam,  when  a 
schooner  in  advance  of  the  others  very  foolishly  fired 
a  shot  at  her,  which  by  the  way  did  her  no  harm  as 
she  was  three  miles  off,  thus  apprising  her  of  the  real 
character  of  our  fleet.  Of  course,  all  efforts  after  this 
to  overtake  her  were  futile,  and  we  proceeded  on  our 
forlorn  voyage,  having  wasted  several  rounds  of  am- 
munition. 

We  coasted  for  a  day  or  two  along  the  arid  shores 
on  the  south  side  of  the  island  ;  but  finding  there 
neither  friend  nor  foe  from  whom  to  gain  information 
respecting  the  state  of  affairs  in  the  interior,  we 
finally  dropped  anchor  near  the  little  island  of  Coche, 
a  dependency  of  the  former,  where  we  had  the  morti- 
fication of  learning  that  all  its  important  forts  had 
been  strongly  garrisoned  by  the  enemy  ;  but  not 
having  a  sufficient  number  of  troops  on  board  to 
effect  a  landing  on  that  coast,  it  was  unanimously 
decided  by  our  commanders  that  there  were  no  lau- 
rels growing  there  for  them,  only  very  prickly  cactuses. 

The  province  of  Cumana,  on  the  mainland,  was 
known  to  be  most  friendly  to  our  cause  ;  preparations 
were  therefore  made  to  land  on  that  coast,  and  en- 
deavor to  efl'ect  a  communication  with  some  guerillas 
in  the  interior.  With  this  object  we  secured  at  Coche 
a  number  oiflecheras — long  boats  used  in  Margarita 
for  spreading  the  nets — and  a  sufficient  number  of 
Guaiqueri  Indians  to  man  them.  These  boats  are 
fifty  feet  long,  very  sharp  and  low,  to  admit  of  theii 
being  propelled  by  paddles  dexterously  handled  by 
the  Indian  rowers,  who,  keeping  perfect  time  in 
the  strokes,  give,  in  consequence,  gi*eater  impetus  to 


428  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

ih.e  flecheras  I  hence  their  name,  from  Jlecha,  an  arrow. 
When  manned  by  "fifteen  or  twenty  rowers  on  a  side, 
the  usual  allowance  for  each  boat,  they  look  like  huge 
centipedes  skimming  swiftly  over  the  water. 

The  Guaiqueries  are  besides  very  expert  divers,  on 
which  account  they  were  advantageously  employed 
in  the  pearl-fisheries  of  Margarita  before  the  oyster 
beds  producing  the  pearls  were  destroyed  by  greedy 
speculators.  In  former  times,  Margarita  was  the 
centre  of  a  brisk  trade  with  people  of  all  nations, 
who  flocked  there  to  procure  those  beautiful  gems 
"  of  purest  ray  serene."  The  inhabitants,  however, 
carry  on  at  present  a  more  permanent  business  in 
the  produce  of  their  seines.  At  Coche,  where  the 
most  considerable  fisheries  are  located,  I  had  an  op- 
portunity of  witnessing  the  e:^ploits  of  the  Indian 
divers,  when  they  were  overhauling  the  contents  of 
the  enormous  seines  employed  there.  So  great  was 
the  draught  of  fish  in  one  of  them,  that  four  hundred 
men  could  not  land  it ;  therefore,  some  of  the  captives 
were  allowed  to  escape,  which  was  done  by  the  divers 
unfastening  under  water  the  cords  uniting  the  two 
compartments  dividing  these  seines — a  feat  accom- 
plished by  the  Guaiqueries  in  an  incredibly  short 
time,  regardless  of  the  numerous  sharks  among  the 
other  fish.  The  seine  being  thus  partially  relieved 
of  its  contents,  was  speedily  dragged  on  shore,  when 
men,  women,  and  children  busied  themselves  in  clean- 
ing, salting,  and  spreading  the  fish  to  dry  upon  the 
sand.  Tlie  care  of  removing  the  remains  and  smaller 
fry  accumulated  upon  the  beach,  was  left  to  the  dogs 
and  pigs  from  the  village,  who  feasted  during  a  whole 


A  CRUISE  IN   THE  CARIBBEAN  SKA  429 

afternoon  npon,  among  other  things,  the  finest  sar- 
dines I  ever  saw.  The  fishermen  call  these  Spanish 
sardines,  probably  from  their  beautiful  appearance, 
it  being  still  the  habit  of  the  people  in  South  Amer- 
ica to  honor  with  that  adjective  any  thing  particu- 
larly fine. 

Our  short  stay  at  Coche,  although  not  quite  so 
satisfactory  in  a  political  point  of  view,  was  produc- 
tive of  great  relief  to  us  after  onr  wearisome  voyage 
up  the  coast.  When  ready  to  depart  for  the  main- 
land, most  of  the  male  inhabitants  of  the  island  vol- 
unteered their  services  and  their  flecheras ;  nor  did 
they  omit  to  bring  along  a  seine,  which  proved  of 
great  advantage  in  providing  fish  for  all  when  no 
other  provisions  could  be  obtained.  Each  of  the 
larger  vessels  took  a  flechera  in  tow,  and  thus 
equipped  we  set  sail  for  Carupano,  a  port  of  some  im- 
portance to  the  south-east  of  Margarita.  We  passed 
an  American  schooner  at  anchor  near  the  spot  where, 
years  ago,  the  Spanish  line-of-battle-ship  San  Pedro 
Alcantara  was  burned  to  the  water's  edge  and  sunk 
during  the  terrible  siege  of  the  island  by  the  royalists. 
A  large  amount  of  money,  said  to  be  not  less  than 
two  millions  of  dollars,  was  lost  along  with  her,  and 
the  crew  of  the  Yankee  vessel,  well  provided  with  the 
necessary  appliances,  were  now  engaged  in  diving  for 
the  almighty  dollar.  They  had  succeeded  in  blasting 
the  old  hulk  to  pieces  with  the  assistance  of  a  gal- 
vanic battery  and  diving-bell ;  but  whether  they  dug 
up  suflScient  "  tin  "  to  pay  expenses  and  leave  a  hand- 
some surplus,  no  one  knew.  All  that  was  known 
was,  that  after  each  explosion  enough  of  dead  fish 


430  WILD    SCENES    IS    SOUTH    AMERICA. 

was  picked  from  tlie  surface  of  the  water  to  load  the 
schooner.  Perhaps  the  fear  of  rousing  the  cupiiitj 
of  their  less  industrious  neighbors  occasioned  this  ex- 
treme reserve. 

Two  days'  sailing  in  the  placid  waters  of  the  eastern 
sea,  brought  us  before  the  ramparts  of  Carupano, 
which  town  unfortunately  we  found  also  already  oc- 
cupied by  troops  sent  from  the  city  of  Cumana  and 
other  places  less  devoted  to  our  cause.  We  attempt- 
ed, nevertheless,  to  effect  a  landing  under  cover  of 
night,  but  were  deterred  from  doing  so  by  the  timely 
warning  of  some  citizens,  who  swam  over  to  our  ves- 
sels and  informed  us  that  the  enemy  were  strongly 
barricaded  at  all  points.  By  the  advice  of  t^.ose 
friends  we  then  directed  our  course  toward  the  bay 
of  Puerto  Santo,  east  of  Carupano,  where  they  as- 
sured us  the  people  would  flock  by  hundreds  to  join 
us.  Our  informants  then  wished  us  God  speed  and 
left  us,  returning  on  shore  to  prepare  the  people  for 
our  projected  move. 

We  were  not  deceived  in  this  as  we  had  been  by 
other  similar  promises,  for  before  morning  we  were 
joined  by  about  three  hundred  mountaineers,  all  good 
marksmen,  and  eager  to  have  a  brush  with  the  Mona- 
gueros  in  the  city.  Without  waiting  for  further 
reenforcements,  our  conmiander,  Colonel  Codazzi,  im- 
mediately ordered  the  advance  upon  Carupano  over 
the  hardest  road  conceivable,  and  so  full  of  enormous 
centipedes,  most  of  them  twelve  inches  long,  that  it 
required  the  utmost  care  on  our  part  to  avoid  step- 
ping upon  them.     Their  bite,  although  not  fatal,  is 


A  CRUISE  IN   THE  CARIBBEAN  SEA.  43^ 

exceedingly  painful  at  the  moment,  followed  by  a  high 
degree  of  local  inflammation. 


In  contrast  with  these  poisonous  insects,  the  beau- 
tiful, I  might  call  it  wonderful,  butterfly-flower  (On- 
eidium  papilio)  also  abounds  there.  It  belongs  to  the 
natural  order  Orchidacese,  better  known  under  the 
popular  name  of  air-plants  or  parasites,  those  lovely 
daughters  of  Flora  and  Favonius,  so  rich  in  perfume 
as  well  as  color,  but  whose  principal  charm  consists 
in  their  caricaturing  every  object  in  nature,  from  the 
"  human  form  divine  "  to  the  humble  bee,  often  de- 
ceived by  a  perfect  representation  of  his  species, 
(Opl  rys  apifera.)  Thus  we  count  among  our  floral 
treasures,  "  angels,  "  "  swans,"  "  doves,"  "  eagles," 
"  pelicans,"  "  spiders,"  "  bumble-bees,"  and  even  a 
perfjct  infant  in  the  cradle  was  found  by  Linden  in 
the  mountains  of  Merida.  The  celebrated  Flor  del 
JEspiritu  Santo  (Peristeria  elata)  is  another  of  this 
class. 


432  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA 

Many  are  the  beautiful  allegories  with  which  the 
fanciful  imagination  of  the  children  of  the  tropics  has 
clothed  these  marvellous  productions  of  their  luxu- 
riant zone.  "  Kot  an  infant  is  baptized,  not  a  mar- 
riage is  celebrated,  not  a  funeral  obsequy  is  per- 
formed, at  which  the  aid  of  these  flowers  is  not  called 
in  by  the  sentimental  natives,  to  assist  the  expression 
of  their  feelings  ;  they  are  offered  by  the  devotee  at 
the  shrine  of  his  favorite  saint,  by  the  lover  at  the 
feet  of  his  mistress,  and  by  the  sorrowing  survivor  at 
the  grave  of  his  friend  ;  whether,  in  short,  on  fast 
days  or  feast  days,  on  occasion  of  rejoicing  or  in  mo- 
ments of  distress,  these  flowers  are  sought  for  wdtli  an 
avidity  which  would  seem  to  say  that  there  was  ^  no 
sympathy  like  theirs ; '  thus,  ^  Flor  de  los  Santos,' 
'  Flor  de  Corpus,'  '  Flor  de  los  Muertos,'  '  Flor  de 
Mayo,'  '  No  me  olvides,'  (or  '  Forget-me-not,')  are  but 
a  few  names  out  of  the  many  that  might  be  cited  to 
prove  the  high  consideration  in  which  our  favorites 
are  held  in  the  New  World.  Nor  are  these  the  only 
honors  that  are  paid  to  them  ;  for  Hernandez  assures 
us  that  in  Mexico  the  Indian  chiefs  set  the  very  high- 
est value  on  their  blossoms,  for  the  sake  of  their  great 
beauty,  strange  figure  and  delightful  perfume  ;  while 
in  the  East  Indies,  if  Eumphius  is  to  be  credited,  the 
flowers  themselves  positively  refuse  to  be  worn,  ex- 
cept by  princes  or  ladies  of  high  degree."* 

Pardon,  gracious  reader,  if,  fearing  the  hundred- 
footed  monsters  upon  the  road,  I  have  taken  so  lofty 
a  flight  among  the  "  angels  "  and  "  spread-eagles  " 

•  Batcman,  OrcUideae. 


A  CRUISE  IN  THE  CARIBBEAN  SEA.  433 

overhead  ;  air-plants,  mj  special  delight,  never  escape 
a  passing  compliment  from  me. 

Descending  to  the  beautiful  valley  of  Maracapana 
after  our  fatiguing  march  over  the  mountains,  we 
were  again  warned  not  to  attack  the  city,  as  our  force 
was  insufficient  to  dislodge  the  enemy  from  their  in- 
trenchments.  "Without  stopping  to  count  them  at 
all  events,  we  retraced  our  steps  and  fell  suddenly 
upon  Rio-Caribe,  another  port  further  east,  which  we 
captured  after  a  feeble  resistance  from  the  garrison. 
I  had  the  honor  of  being  the  only  one  hit,  though 
slightly,  on  this  occasion. 

The  fleet  had  now  no  difficulty  in  getting  safely 
into  a  snug  harbor,  which  it  did  on  the  same  day, 
anchoring  in  front  of  our  barracks  near  the  mouth  of 
the  little  river  from  which  the  port  takes  its  name. 
A  large  quantity  of  cacao,  captured  during  our  cruise, 
being  stored  in  them,  the  Honorable  H.  Garcia,  who 
acted  in  the  double  capacity  of  Quartermaster-gen- 
eral and  Commander-in-chief  for  the  time  being,  pro- 
ceeded to  discharge,  weigh,  and  re-ship  to  St.  Thomas 
our  ill-gotten  booty,  to  be  disposed  of  for  provisions 
and  other  necessaries. 

Rio-Caribe  has  the  disadvantage  of  being  rather 
sultry  and  unhealthy,  on  which  account  we  did  not 
enjoy  our  conquest  longer  than  was  necessary  to 
muster  some  additional  reenforcements  of  volunteers. 
Attracted  by  the  refreshing  shade  along  the  woody 
banks  of  the  river,  several  of  our  men  were  in  the 
habit  of  spending  there  in  idleness  a  great  portion  of 
the  day ;  but  even  this  small  comfort  was  of  short 
duration,  it  being  observed  after  a  while  that  many 
19 


434:  WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTU  AMERICA. 

of  those  who  frequented  the  spot,  became  benumbed 
and  swollen  in  the  most  unaccountable  manner.  On 
investigating  the  cause  of  this  singular  disorder,  it 
proved  to  arise  from  the  baneful  exhalations  of  an 
euphorbiaceous  tree,  the  Hippomane  mancinella  or 
manzanillo^  whose  dense  foliage  of  a  brilliant  green 
particularly  invites  the  weary  and  indolent  to  repose 
under  its  shade.  It  bears  a  fruit  not  unlike  a  small 
apple  in  shape,  color,  and  perfume,  hence  its  name ; 
unfortunately,  like  the  apple  of  Eden,  it  is  forbidden 
fruit  among  the  paradisiacal  groves  of  the  Kew 
World.  Yet,  the  fertile  imagination  of  the  author 
of  Monte  Cristo,  parodying  the  luminous  science  of 
the  South- American  Oriila,  would  not  fail  to  find  in 
it  a  splendid  subject  for  another  dissertation  on  the 
transfusion  of  poisons. 

The  manzanillo  is  a  lover  of  the  sea-shore,  espe- 
cially rocky  places  washed  by  the  dashing  waves, 
and  the  fruit,  dropping  in  the  water,  is  eagerly  swal- 
lowed by  fish  which,  although  not  affected  by  the 
poison,  readily  transmit  it  to  those  who  partake  of 
their  flesh.  Muleteers,  unacquainted  with  the  poi- 
sonous properties  of  this  plant,  often  ruin  their  animals 
by  driving  them  wdth  rods  obtained  from  the  branches 
of  the  tree. 


CHAPTER  XXXL 

ho!  for  maeacaibo. 


'  He  who  fights  and  rans  away, 
Lives  to  fight  another  day." 


The  scarcity  of  provisions  at  Rio-Caribe,  which 
only  oflfered  a  daily  fare  of  fish,  but  more  especially 
the  fact  that  the  enemy  were  marching  in  strong  force 
upon  us,  determined  our  leader  to  return  forthwith  to 
Maracaibo.  Fearing,  however,  to  lose  the  further 
cooperation  of  our  eastern  allies,  who  would  undoubt- 
edly refuse  to  follow,  and  unwilling  to  leave  them  be- 
hind, our  commanders  resorted  to  the  stratagem  of 
feigning  a  landing  on  the  coast  of  Margarita,  the 
friendly  disposition  of  the  inhabitants  aflfording  them 
a  plausible  pretext.  Accordingly,  all  the  troops  were 
transferred  on  board  the  transports,  with  instructions 
to  rendezvous  at  the  port  of  Juan  Griego,  on  the  north 
of  the  island,  and  a  fine  evening  breeze  blowing  at 
the  time,  we  soon  lost  sight  of  the  straggling  town  of 
Rio-Caribe  and  its  poisonous  orchards. 

The  next  morning  all  the  vessels  were  quietly  rid- 
ing at  anchor  in  the  above-mentioned  harbor,  but  no 


436  WILD    SCENES   IN  SOUTH    AMERICA. 

prospect  of  landing.  The  enemy,  doubtless  astonished 
at  our  apparent  audacity,  remained  watching  our 
ships  from  the  ramparts  of  the  forts  on  shore,  which 
did  not  open  upon  us  until  the  Constitucion  sent  a 
random  shot  to  draw  their  fire.  We  had  been  told 
that  these  forts  were  dismantled,  and  had  only  a 
couple  of  guns  left  to  fire  salutes,  which,  having  for 
balls  only  a  few  rusty  shells,  were,  it  was  said,  as  use- 
less as  the  broken  .carriages  upon  which  they  were 
mounted  ;  yet  the  first  shot  struck  off  the  head  of  the 
man  stationed  at  the  top  of  the  flag-vessel,  while 
others,  following  in  quick  succession,  were  aimed  with 
so  much  accuracy,  that  it  was  found  expedient  to 
haul  off  to  a  safe  distance.  Toward  evening  the  top- 
sail-man cried  out  "  A  sail  to  leeward  !  "  and  immedi- 
ately after  another  and  another  hove  in  sight,  until 
eleven  vessels  were  signalled.  No  doubts  could  be 
now  entertained  that  the  enemy's  fleet  were  approach- 
ing ;  but,  instead  of  proceeding  to  attack  it  while  we 
had  the  advantage  of  the  windward,  ours  improved  it 
to  decamp  ;  and  such  was  their  haste  that  I,  in  com- 
pany with  another  young  ofiicer,  having  been  sent 
out  to  reconnoitre  along  the  coast,  had  scarce  time  to 
scramble  on  board  the  rear  vessel,  the  one  we  be- 
longed to  being  already  far  away. 

The  enemy's  fleet,  observing  our  movements,  gave 
chase ;  but,  night  approaching,  we  lost  sight  of  each 
other  until  morning,  when,  to  my  sorrow,  I  perceived 
the  transport  containing  the  Llaneros  attacked  by 
one  of  the  enemy's  vessels,  a  large  brig,  while  ours 
were — nowhere.  The  Llaneros  had  no  defence  on 
board  except  their  lances;  these  would  have  been 


HO!    FOR  MARACAIBO.  437 

sufficient  on  land,  but  on  shipboard  served  only  to 
clog  the  movements  of  men  unaccustomed  to  the 
hcavings  of  the  sea.  Perceiving  that  the  commander 
of  the  Paez — which  vessel  had  received  me  on  board 
— did  not  go  to  the  rescue  of  the  transport,  although 
the  rest  of  the  fleet  were  far  away  to  leeward,  I  ven- 
tured to  suggest  to  the  commander  the  humanity  of 
such  a  step,  but  had  scarcely  spoken  when,  seizing 
me  roughly  by  the  arm,  he  threatened  to  put  me  in 
irons  if  I  uttered  another  word  upon  that  subject. 

After  this  violent  demonstration,  my  sympathy 
for  the  Llaneros  was  of  necessity  smothered  ;  but  my 
resolve,  though  a  silent  one,  was  full  of  hope  that  I 
should  at  some  future  day  proclaim  to  the  world  the 
poltroonery  of  these  commanders.  To  their  shame, 
and  that  of  our  colonel,  also  on  board,  a  little  schoon- 
er, commanded  by  a  foreigner,  an  Italian  whose  name 
I  do  not  now  recollect,  mounting  only  one  twelve- 
pounder  pivot-gun,  hove  in  sight  at  that  moment, 
^and,  perceiving  the  dangerous  situation  of  the  trans- 
port, immediately  went  to  her  assistance,  and  took  her 
in  tow,  after  partially  disabling  the  brig. 

Toward  noon  we  succeeded  in  coming  up  with 
our  fleet  squadron,  which,  finding  itself  still  pursued 
by  the  enemy's  vessels,  and  doubtless  ashamed  of  its 
hasty  retreat,  now  faced  about  with  a  determination 
which,  if  at  first  exhibited,  would  have  been  highly 
creditable.  Now  it  was  the  enemy's  turn  to  '  vamose,' 
for  scarcely  had  we  formed  our  line  of  battle  and  pre- 
pared for  the  attack,  than  their  vessels  turned  about 
and  made  off*,  never  stopping  until  they  reached  Juan 
Griego.      Our   commanders   at    once    improved    the 


438  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

opportunity  to  get  themselves  out  of  the  scrape  as 
quickly  as  possible,  making  their  way  back  to  Mara- 
caibo  in  as  many  days  as  it  had  previously  taken 
weeks  to  accomplish  the  same  distance. 

When  I  found  myself  again  within  the  crumbling 
walls  of  the  fort  of  San  Carlos,  with  nothing  but 
parched  corn  and  occasional  strips  of  lean  beef  for 
food,  while  the  borders  of  the  lake  were  abounding 
in  fine  cattle  and  luscious  plantains,  I,  rather  than  thus 
starve  in  the  midst  of  plenty,  almost  wished  myself  a 
prisoner  in  the  filthy  dungeons  of  the  enemy  ;  not  from 
despair  of  the  good  cause  I,  as  well  as  the  rest  of  my 
family,  had  embraced,  but  the  culpable  remissness  of 
the  leaders  in  the  province  was  such  that,  although 
they  could  with  ease  have  provided  against  this 
wretchedness,  having  a  numerous  fleet  of  piraguas  at 
their  disposal,  they  kept  the  troops  stationed  at  the 
castle  in  almost  a  famishing  condition.  Many  of  the 
poor  fellows  kidnapped  from  the  healthy  mountains 
of  Carupano,  died  of  dysentery,  induced  by  the  miser- 
able fare  and  brackish  water  of  San  Carlos. 

Necessity  finally  compelled  the  sluggish  Andrade 
to  make  a  move  toward  the  city,  where  the  enemy 
were  quietly  refreshing  themselves  upon  the  fat  of  the 
land  after  their  hard  march  through  La  Goagira.  A 
simple  message  sent  by  the  Governor  Serrano  to  the 
owners  of  piraguas  soon  brought  together  around  the 
island  every  craft  available  for  the  embarkation  of 
troops  and  their  material.  These  were  easily  landed 
at  Los  Haticos  under  the  guns  of  the  fleet,  but  Castelli, 
who  was  not  so  dilatory  as  our  commander,  came  out 
to  the  encounter  as  he  was  on  his  way  to  invest  the 


HO!    FOR  MARACAIBO.  439 

city.  A  fierce  engagement  with  our  advance,  com- 
manded by  two  brave  Englishmen,  Colonels  Weir  and 
Minchin,  immediately  took  place  ;  and  although  the 
enemy  fought  with  desperation,  they  were  finally 
compelled  to  retreat  in  disorder  toward  the  city, 
which  could  have  been  captured  the  same  day  but  for 
the  stupidity  of  Andrade,  who  ordered  Mincliin  back 
to  Los  Haticos.  Here  the  former  afterward  amused 
liimself  in  cutting  down  the  beautiful  cocoanut  palms 
shading  the  place,  to  form  with  them  barricades  around 
the  houses  of  that  rural  retreat,  fearing  another  sortie 
of  the  enemy. 

Tliese,  although  terribly  cut  up  in  the  first  en- 
gagement, and  despite  the  barricades  and  heavy  artil- 
lery, were  not  deterred  from  again  attacking  us — this 
time,  however,  with  even  more  disastrous  results  to 
themselves  than  in  the  previous  fight.  Nearly  one- 
lialf  their  numbers  were  left  dead  upon  the  field,  and  the 
survivors  hastened  back  to  the  city  to  make  prepara- 
tions for  a  speedy  surrender.  Still  Andrade,  wdiose 
force  had  greatly  increased  by  voluntary  enlistments 
of  the  people,  hesitated  to  advance  beyond  his  in- 
trenchments,  not  even  permitting  the  brave  Belisario 
to  pursue  the  flying  enemy  witli  his  Llanero  cavalry. 

At  length  a  brilliant  plan  for  distinguishing  liim- 
self flashed  upon  Andrade,  on  hearing  that  reenforce- 
ments  for  Castelli  were  being  assembled  at  Quisiro 
on  the  other  side  of  the  lake  ;  these  he  proposed  to  an- 
nihilate before  they  could  be  smuggled  into  Maracai- 
bo,  embarking  with  this  object  seven  hundred  of  the 
best  troops  at  his  command,  beside  a  battery  of  light 
artillery.     A  landing  was  soon  cfi'ected  on  the  ene- 


440  WILD   SCENES    IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

my's  territory,  his  pickets  driven  in,  and  the  strag- 
gling village  of  Quisiro  invested  in  due  form.  Al- 
, though  its  entire  force  did  not  amount  to  more  than 
'two  hundred  men  under  Zamora  and  Baca,  they  re- 
pelled all  our  attacks  from  behind  the  fences  of  the 
houses ;  whereupon  Andrade,  instead  of  bringing  his 
artillery  to  bear  on  those  frail  barricades,  ordered  a 
charge  with  the  bayonet,  which,  of  course,  resulted  in 
a  repulse  and  great  slaughter  on  our  side.  Then — as 
if  fearful  that  the  broad  expanse  of  water  between  the 
enemy  and  his  camp  at  Los  Ilaticos  would  be  insuf- 
ficient to  guard  against  pursuit — he  ordered  a  retreat 
toward  San  Carlos. 

We  lost  several  valuable  officers  and  a  great  num- 
ber of  men  by  that  foolish  adventure ;  yet  the  spirit 
of  the  troops,  far  from  being  daunted,  seemed  to  gain 
fresh  vigor  after  this  reverse.  Those  who  escaped 
being  killed  or  wounded  clamored  to  be  carried  back 
to  Los  Haticos,  hoping  that  some  more  decided  meas- 
ures would  be  taken  for  the  reduction  of  the  city. 

The  enemy,  emboldened  by  our  discomfiture  at 
Quisiro,  made  another  sortie^  with  the  object  of  pro- 
curing cattle  for  their  famished  regiments.  They 
found  no  difficulty  in  collecting  a  large  flock  of  goats 
and  other  animals,  which  they  were  driving  over  a 
hilly  country  toward  the  city,  when,  informed  of 
their  return  by  our  videttes,  Andrade  ordered  Com- 
mandant Belisario  to  intercept  them  with  his  cavalry, 
instead  of  detailing  a  body  of  infantry  for  that  service. 
Never  shall  I  forget  the  look  of  smiling  resignation  with 
which  the  noble-minded  fellow  rode  past  me  at  the  head 
of  his  troop ;  nor,  to  my  inquiry  of  "  Where  bound, 


HO!    FOR  MAKACAIBO. 


Ml 


compafiero  ?  "  his  ominous  reply,  "  A  morir  !  "  for  he 
well  knew  the  hazard  of  the  undertaking ;  yet  un- 
complainingly did  this  brave  heart  pass  from  our 
sight  to  fulfil  the  fatal  order  of  his  superior.  A  few 
moments  after,  we  heard  a  volley  of  musketry,  fol- 
lowed by  some  random  shots,  which  told  us  plainly 
that  the  fearless  Llaneros  had  broken  and  dispersed 
the  hosts  opposed  to  them  ;  but,  alas  !  at  the  cost  of 
their  gallant  commander,  who  with  his  charger  fell, 
pierced  with  bullets,  amid  the  bristling  bayonets  of 
the  enemy.     His  comrades  succeeded,  nevertheless, 


LIEUT.-COLONEL   ANTONIO  BELISARIO. 


in  carrying  away  his  remains,  after  dispersing  the  ma- 
rauders, whom  they  pursued  to  the  environs  of  the  be- 
leaguered city. 
19* 


442  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

When  the  lifeless  body  of  Belisario  was  brought 
into  the  encampment  at  Los  Haticos,  it  was  received 
by  his  companions  in  arms  with  such  demonstrations 
of  loving  reverence  as  virtues  like  his  should  ever 
command.  The  patriotic  Maracaiheras  were  among 
the  first  to  show  their  appreciation  of  the  fallen  hero 
by  their  graceful  and  fragrant  adornings  of  his  funeral 
bier,  while  all  wept  for  this  departed  brave,  as  though 
with  him  had  passed  away  the  last  hope  for  the  good 
cause. 

It  was,  indeed,  a  sad  spectacle  to  behold  those  cold 
remains,  only  a  few  hours  before  instinct  with  life 
and  energy,  breathing  but  in  noble  aspirations,  and 
filled  with  every  grace  and  virtue  that  endears  man  to 
man,  now  laid  in  mournful  state.  Even  the  stern 
Englishmen,  usually  so  undemonstrative,  could  not 
repress  their  tears  when  the  first  notes  of  the  funeral 
march  wailed  forth  as  we  bore  him  with  solenin  step 
to  his  grave.  Thus  departed  one  who,  had  he  lived, 
would  have  been  an  honor  to  his  country,  as  he  was 
already  among  the  bravest  and  best. 

Another  of  the  most  daring  in  our  little  army  was 
an  American  ofiicer  whose  name,  Barclay  Clements, 
will  long  be  admiringly  remembered  by  his  comrades 
in  "Venezuela.  Being  unfamiliar  with  the  Spanish 
language,  he  had  no  special  duty  assigned  him,  yet 
he  was  a  host  in  himself  with  that  terrible  weapon 
of  his  nation,  the  rifle.  Woe  to  the  incautious  "  mo- 
nagoso"  who,  confiding  in  his  stout  intrenchments, 
should  show  his  head  above  the  parapet.  A  sudden 
disappearance  of  the  red  cap,  following  the  crack  of 
the  Kentucky  rifle,  sufiiciently  indicated  the  probable 


HO!    FOR  MARACAIBO.  443 

fate  of  its  wearer.  So  formidable  was  the  execution 
done  by  the  sharpshooter — who  made  more  havoc 
among  Castelli's  ranks  than  all  the  cannon  brought 
by  Andrade  from  the  castle  of  San  Carlos — that  the 
former  was  induced  to  set  a  prize  upon  the  head  of  him 
whom  he  distinguished  as  the  "  accursed  Yankee." 

Ammunition  being  rather  a  scarce  commodity  in 
the  enemy's  camp,  a  few  rounds  from  our  artillery,  in 
lieu  of  being  dreaded,  were  considered  quite  a  God- 
send by  the  besieged,  who  never  failed  to  return  us 
our  own  missiles  with  good  effect  from  a  couple  of 
rusty  carronades  formerly  used  as  moorings  for  vessels 
in  the  harbor,  but  which  the  ingenious  Castelli  had 
now  mounted  upon  heavy  logs  of  mahogany.  A  most 
melancholy  catastrophe  was  once  caused  by  one  of 
these  guns  among  the  market-women  of  Los  Haticos, 
four  of  them,  and  two  men,  being  killed  by  a  single 
ball  in  its  rebound  from  a  palm  tree. 

During  several  months  no  material  advantage  was 
gained  on  either  side  ;  so  time  and  ammunition  were 
frittered  away  in  fruitless  skirmishes.  At  length  the 
enemy's  fleet,  recovering  from  its  fright  in  the  eastern 
sea,  made  its  appearance  at  the  bar  of  Maracaibo, 
which  it,  nevertheless,  did  not  venture  to  cross,  owing 
to  tlie  presence  of  some  of  our  vessels ;  yet,  they 
maintained  a  strict  blockade  at  the  mouth  of  the  lake, 
permitting  neither  ingress  nor  egress.  About  this 
time  a  fine  iron  steamer,  obtained  by  General  Paez 
from  the  United  States,  arrived  at  the  island  of  Oruba 
short  of  coal  and  without  armament  to  successfully 
run  the  blockade.  Unfortunately,  she  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  enthusiastic  Garcia,  who,  although  very 


444  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

able  in  making  speeches,  knew  nothing  of  naval 
affairs.  By  his  advice  and  urgent  solicitations  she 
was  hurried  to  San  Carlos  with  as  many  bundles  of 
brushwood  as  the  barren  soil  of  Oruba  could  afford. 
By  the  time  she  reached  the  bar  the  steamer  had  con- 
sumed the  last  chip,  consequently  she  fell  an  easy 
prey  to  the  enemy's  fleet,  and  was  forthwith  taken  to 
Puerto  Cabello. 

The  roughness  of  the  sea  outside  the  bar,  especially 
in  the  month  of  November,  when  the  "  Northerns  " 
render  the  anchorage  there  very  unsafe,  compelled 
the  blockading  squadron  to  beat  about  to  windward  for 
a  while,  thus  affording  another  steamer,  purchased  by 
General  Paez  the  opportunity  to  run  in,  which  she 
did  amid  the  liveliest  rejoicings  of  the  army  and  na- 
vy. The  enemy's  absence  was  of  but  short  duration. 
Strengthened  by  some  additional  vessels,  while  we 
could  only  oppose  to  them  six  or  seven  schooners  at 
the  time,  they  improved  the  high  tides  then  prevail- 
ing to  force  the  bar  when  least  expected,  driving  our 
little  squadron  like  chaff  before  the  wind.  The  artil- 
lery of  the  castle,  however,  speedily  arrested  the  pro- 
gress of  both  conquerors  and  conquered,  the  latter 
not  even  stopping  to  fire  a  shot  at  their  pursuers. 
What  made  the  flight  still  more  humiliating,  was  the 
presence  of  an  English  frigate,  whose  gallant  crew 
witnessed  the  whole  transaction  from  her  anchorage 
outside  the  bar.  I  was  standing  on  the  parapet  of 
the  castle,  amazed  at  the  strange  manoeuvrings  of 
our  schooners  when,  roused  to  consciousness  of  the 
cause  by  the  first  flash  from  the  enemy's  cannon,  I 
perceived  that  it  was  fired  precisely  in  my  direction  ; 


nO!    FOR  MARACAIBO.  445 

I  involuntarily  moved  a  little  to  one  side,  and  imme- 
diately after  saw  a  ball  strike  tlie  spot  upon  which  I 
had  been  standing.  Whether  it  was  aimed  at  me  or 
not,  was  matter  of  but  little  consideration ;  yet  I  could 
not  fail  to  congratulate  myself  that  the  enemy  had 
lost  such  food  for  rejoicing  as  w^ould  have  been  the 
death  of  General  Paez's  son. 

Thus  far  victorious,  the  enemy  might  then  have 
pushed  on  to  Maracaibo  and  bombarded  the  camp  at 
Los  Haticos  before  Andrade  was  even  aware  of  his 
danger.  But  they  lacked  the  pluck  of  Padilla,  who, 
in  1824,  performed  a  similar  feat  before  a  vastly  su- 
perior force.  Eegardless  of  the  thunders  of  San  Car- 
los— then  in  the  hands  of  the  Spaniards — and  a  power- 
ful fleet  beside,  the  patriot  General  compelled  the  lat- 
ter to  retreat  beyond  the  shoals  of  El  Tablazo,  and  af- 
terward boarded  and  captured  the  whole  fleet. 

Awed  by  the  fires  from  the  castle,  the  enemy 
quickly  withdrew  to  Bajo  Seco,  where  they  could 
have  been  speedily  destroyed  if  our  commanders  had 
had  the  precaution  to  establish  a  battery  on  that 
sandy  islet  while  they  held  possession  of  it.  Tliis  the 
enemy  efi'ected  without  loss  of  time,  to  the  subsequent 
ruin  of  our  fleet  and  prospects. 

A  council  of  war  was  convened  on  the  next  day  to 
meet  at  San  Carlos,  and  a  plan  adopted  for  the  imme- 
diate attack  of  the  enemy's  fleet ;  but,  desirous  of 
avoiding,  as  much  as  possible,  the  shedding  of  blood, 
it  was  decided  to  send  a  despatch  to  the  commander, 
General  Bricefio,  requesting  him  to  withdraw  from 
those  waters  before  he  should  be  compelled  thereto  vi 
et  armis.    I  was  commissioned  to  carry  this  humane 


446  '^ILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA  , 

warning,  and  althouglx  I  expected  nothing  sliort  of 
violent  imprisonment,  I  was  received  with  courtesy 
and  even  kindness  by  the  officers,  who  only  detained 
me  long  enough  to  treat  me  to  a  good  breakfast. 

General  Briceno  having  declined  our  terms,  orders 
were  issued  to  the  commanders  of  all  our  vessels  to 
assemble  at  San  Carlos,  and  hold  themselves  in  readi- 
ness for  the  forthcoming  battle.  Before  morning 
dawned  on  the  following  day,  the  fleet  were  under 
way  and  attacked  the  enemy  in  their  safe  anchorage  ; 
but,  instead  of  prosecuting  the  plan  fiirst  laid  out,  viz., 
that  of  boarding  each  of  the  enemy's  vessels,  as  was 
practised  by  Padilla,  they  opened  their  fires  upon 
them  under  full  canvas,  and  with  a  rapidly  ebbing 
tide.  The  consequence  was  a  nearly  total  destruction 
of  the  whole  fleet  by  a  raking  storm  of  cannon  and 
musketry,  the  narrowness  of  the  channel  not  permit- 
ting them  to  sail  round  the  foe,  as  had  been  their  in- 
tention. The  vessels  that  were  not  driven  ashore  had 
the  rigging  so  badly  cut  that  they  could  scarcely  re- 
gain their  anchorage,  while  the  enemy  sustained  little 
or  no  injury.  Great  was  also  our  loss  in  killed, 
wounded,  and  prisoners,  which  so  disheartened  the 
leaders  that,  without  waiting  an  attack  from  the  block- 
ading forces — still  in  their  former  positions — they 
resolved  to  evacuate  the  province  altogether,  prefer- 
ring an  inglorious  retreat  to  the  honorable  capitula- 
tion offered  by  General  Briceno  through  me. 

Andrade,  however,  managed  the  evacuation  of 
the  castle  and  his  camp  before  Maracaibo  with  great- 
er skill  than  he  had  displayed  in  conducting  the  siege ; 
for  it  was  not  until  the  chief  part  of  the  distance  to 


HO!    FOR  MARACAIBO.  447 

Congo  Bay  had  been  accomplislied,  that  the  enemy 
discovered  the  retreat.  Thither  Briceno  followed  ns 
in  a  steamer  and  a  few  other  vessels,  judging  from  the 
hasty  manner  of  our  departure  that  our  forces  must  he 
in  a  state  of  complete  demoralization,  as  was  indeed 
the  case,  some  of  the  commanders  of  the  fleet  actually 
refusing  to  obey  orders,  and  directing  their  course 
toward  the  Catatumbo,  in  search  of  an  outlet  to  !N^ew 
Granada,  preferring  this  rather  than  to  rendezvous  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Escalante,  as  commanded.  For  my 
part,  I  did  not  see  the  ^visdom  of  trying  to  escape  by 
either  route,  as  the  one  would  lead  us  through  a  thick 
forest  and  quagmires  into  the  province  of  Merida,  in 
possession  of  the  enemy  ;  while  the  other  was  no  less 
fraught  with  difficulty  and  hardships,  not  to  mention 
the  tormenting  insects  to  be  encountered  on  the  river. 
Those  of  our  companions  in  arms  who  had  never 
before  visited  the  interior  of  the  lake,  and  who  had 
only  some  faint  idea  of  the  famous  mibes  de  mosquitos 
' — clouds  of  mosquitoes — often  wafted  by  the  breeze 
across  the  water,  were  now  alarmed  by  the  appear- 
ance in  the  air  of  long,  dark  streaks,  resembling  the 
smoke  from  the  chimney  of  a  steamer.  There  being 
no  other  vessels  of  this  sort  upon  the  lake  but  the  one 
we  were  in  and  the  enemy's,  they  naturally  supposed 
that  the  latter  was  close  upon  us.  These  fears  were 
not  dispelled  until  somewhat  later  in  the  day,  when  a 
shower  of  mosquitos  fell  upon  the  deck  like  a  burst- 
ing water-spout.  They  were,  however,  of  a  different 
species  from  those  with  which  I  was  already  ac- 
quainted, differing  from  them  in  the  absence  of  the 
proboscis ;  consequently  they  do  not  sting,  and  are 


448  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

therefore    called    mosqidtos    hobos — foolisli    mosqiii- 
tos. 

]N"o  less  l)obos  proved  to  be  our  pilots  in  seeking 
for  tlie  mouth  of  the  Escalante,  mistaking  one  of  its 
numerous  creeks  for  the  main  channel  of  the  river. 
After  considerable  effort  we  succeeded  in  getting 
the  steamer  through  the  narrow  creek,  having  ground- 
ed several  times  in  the  attempt,  and  lost  much  valu- 
able time.  Great  numbers  of  piraguas,  laden  with 
troops,  had  preceded  us,  and  were  now  endeavoring  to 
reach  the  town  of  Zulia — our  destination — by  the  slow 
method  of  dragging  with  hooked  poles,  as  described 
in  a  former  chapter.  The  other  vessels  of  the  fleet 
were  all  abandoned  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  with  the 
exception  of  two  that  were  blown  up  by  their  com- 
manders. A  little  more  reflection  would  have  shown 
the  expediency  of  sinking  them  instead,  thus  block- 
ing the  channel  and  preventing  the  enemy's  steamers 
from  ascending  the  Escalante  after  our  disorganized 
forces.  Not  even  a  guard  was  stationed  below  the 
town  to  apprise  us  in  case  of  pursuit,  Andrade  not 
intending  to  abide  longer  at  Zulia  than  was  necessary 
to  dispose  his  march  through  the  tangled  forest  and 
almost  impassable  morasses  of  that  unhealthy  region. 

On  arriving  at  the  place,  our  forces  scarcely 
amounted  to  four  hundred  men  all  told,  the  rest  hav- 
ing deserted  in  various  ways.  Tlie  town  offering  but 
few  accommodations  for  even  so  small  a  body  of 
troops,  most  of  these  were  immediately  transferred  to 
the  other  side  of  the  river.  Only  a  squad  of  infantry 
and  what  remained  of  the  faithful  Llaneros,  were  left 
to  look  after  the  sick  and  wounded.    Having  at  the 


HO!    FOR  MARACAIBO.  449 

time  no  special  duty  to  perform,  excepting  that  of  in- 
tei'preter  on  board  the  steamer,  I  remained  at  my  post 
until  nightfall ;  but  the  mosquitos  proving  rather  im- 
portunate, I  proposed  to  the  oflScers  that  we  should 
seek  accommodations  on  shore,  not  in  the  least  antici- 
pating an  attack,  for  that  night  at  all  events. 

"When  about  retiring  to  our  beds  we  were  startled 
by  the  sonnd  of  two  or  three  shots  in  the  direction  of 
the  plaza.  One  of  us,  my  brother  Sabas,  went  out  to 
reconnoitre,  but  before  his  return  we  heard  a  tremen- 
dous volley  of  musketry,  and  yells  of  Viva  Monagas. 
I  did  not  know  what  became  of  my  companions,  but 
they  all  disappeared  in  an  instant ;  nor  did  they  even 
report  themselves  on  board  the  steamer,  which  I 
reached  by  swimming,  no  one  venturing  to  come  to 
my  assistance  with  a  boat.  Shortly  after,  my  missing 
brother  also  came  on  board  by  the  same  expeditious 
method,  he  having  narrowly  escaped  being  killed  by 
the  advancing  enemy,  who,  unable  to  dislodge  our  men 
from  the  houses  on  the  plaza,  with  characteristic  brutal- 
ity, set  fire  to  the  thatch  with  which  they  were  roofed, 
and  in  a  few  moments  the  whole  town  was  enveloped 
in  flames.  By  the  glare  of  these  we  were  enabled  to 
pour  grape  and  shot  from  the  steamer  npon  the  incen- 
diaries, many  of  whom  fell  while  in  the  act  of  applying 
the  torch  to  the  roof  that  sheltered  the  Llaneros  ;  the 
latter  then  retreated  toward  the  steamer,  now  become 
the  scene  of  action.  Unfortunately,  the  pivot-gun, 
which  had  in  the  commencement  done  such  terrible 
execution,  got  out  of  order  after  a  few  rounds  ;  but  we 
still  retained  the  use  of  two  carronades,  and  these 
were  admirably  served  by  my  young  friend  Eoseliano 


450  V^lU)   SCENES    IX   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

and  Manuel  Escnrra,  another  brave  youth  from  Ca- 
racas. 

We  were  so  near  the  landing  that,  although  the 
night  was  very  dark  after  the  conflagration  subsided, 
we  could  plainly  distinguish  the  red  caps  of  the  ene- 
my by  the  flash  of  our  cannon.  As  these  did  not 
seem  to  produce  much  impression  upon  them,  we  re- 
sorted to  smaller  arms,  which  we  could  use  to  greater 
advantage,  being,  from  the  strength  of  the  river  cur- 
rent and  the  want  of  engineers  on  board,  unable  to 
turn  the  steamer. 

The  contest  was  steadily  maintained  during  the 
entire  night,  and  although  the  odds  were  greatly 
against  us,  we  were  unwilling  "  to  give  up  the  ship  " 
in  hopes  that  Andrade — who  we  knew  was  but  a  short 
distance  off — would  recross  the  river  and  attack  the 
enemy  on  the  rear.  "When  morning  dawned,  instead 
of  friends,  we  saw  only  the  red  caps  of  our  foes  ap- 
pearing through  the  fences  and  windows  of  the  houses 
fronting  the  river,  from  whence  issued  volleys  of 
destructive  fire.  We  returned  it  for  awhile,  but  con- 
vinced at  last  of  the  inutility  of  prolonging  the  strug- 
gle, I  endeavored  to  set  in  motion  the  machinery  of 
the  steamer,  aided  by  the  mate,  the  only  one  on  board 
w^ho  understood  any  thing  of  its  management.  While 
thus  engaged  a  ball  struck  my  assistant,  depriving  us 
of  his  valuable  services  at  this  critical  moment.  We 
then  endeavored  to  hoist  the  anchor,  but  the  strength 
of  the  current  was  such,  that  we  could  not  bring  the 
steamer  up  to  it.  A  few  blows  applied  to  one  of  the 
bolts  of  the  chain  severed  the  connecting  links,  and 
we  then  drifted  down  the  stream. 


HO!    FOR  MARACAIBO.  4.5I 

We  had,  however,  proceeded  but  a  short  distance, 
when  we  discovered  below  a  bend  of  the  river  the 
smoke  pipe  of  the  enemy's  steamer,  evidently  in  good 
position  and  ready  to  receive  iis.  But,  with  no  one  to 
direct  our  craft,  and  with  only  sick  and  wounded  on 
board,  we  could  offer  no  further  resistance.  Several 
of  our  men  sprang  into  the  water  and  swam  ashore  to 
avoid  being  made  prisoners,  among  them  my  wounded 
brother  Tomas,  whom  I  never  saw  again.  I  would 
have  followed  their  example,  but  for  my  cherished 
note  and  sketch  books,  which  I  had  stored  away  in  the 
steamer,  and  I  preferred  captivity  to  the  loss  of  either. 

Having  no  white  flag  at  hand,  a  shirt  was  imme- 
diately hoisted  at  the  topmast,  in  lieu  of  it,  as  a  signal 
of  surrender,  thus  realizing  the  witty  parody  on  Yol- 
taire's  CEdipus, 

"  Quand  on  a  tout  perdu,  et  qu'il  n'y  a  point  d'espoir,"  &c. 
But  the  enemy's  steamer  threatening  to  fire  upon  us 
if  we  did  not  drop  anchor,  we,  having  none,  fastened 
a  stout  rope  round  a  carronade  and  rolled  it  over- 
board. Thus  ended  our  first  campaign  against  Mo- 
nagas. 

Fortunately  we  fell  into  the  hands  of  our  old  ac- 
quaintance General  Briceiio,  a  man  distinguished  for 
his  humanity  toward  the  vanquished,  and  he  re- 
ceived us  on  board  his  steamer  with  delicate  and  high- 
bred courtesy.  "We  then  learned  that  the  officer  who 
led  the  attack  against  the  town  was  no  other  than  the 
famous  Ezequiel  Zamora,  who,  from  being  a  convict 
and  the  comrade  of  Rangel,  was  raised  to  the  rank  of 
General  by  the  unscrupulous  ruler  of  unhappy  Yene- 
zuela.    Zamora  was  one  of  those  most  desperate  char- 


452  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

acters,  without  education  or  social  position,  who,  in 
South  America,  often  rise  amid  the  whirl  of  civil  dis- 
cord. He  would  have  put  to  death  all  his  prisoners, 
as  he  had  done  in  former  times,  but  for  the  strict 
injunctions  of  General  Briceno,  who  had  previously 
warned  him  against  any  acts  of  cruelty  toward  them/ 
This  wretch  has  lately  forfeited  his  life  in  his  renewed 
endeavors  to  reinstate  the  sway  of  a  rapacious  family 
at  the  expense  of  his  country's  weal. 

As  for  the  indirect  author  of  our  misfortunes,  An- 
drade,  we  afterward  heard  that  he  had  capitulated 
to  the  commander  of  the  forces  of  Monas-as  in  the 
province  of  Merida,  who  allowed  him  to  retire  into 
New  Granada  with  all  who  wished  to  follow  him. 
We  were  less  fortunate,  being  taken  back  to  Maracai- 
bo,  the  same  day,  there  to  await  the  pleasure  of  the 
Commander-in-chief,  Castelli.  As  we  sailed  out  of 
the  river  Escalante  and  past  Congo  Bay,  my  thoughts 
involuntarily  turned  to  the  humble  fisherman  in  his 
hut,  who,  months  before,  as  if  impressed  with  a  pre- 
sentiment of  our  approaching  catastrophe,  had  oflfered 
to  conduct  me  in  his  canoe  to  New  Granada.  How 
gladly  would  I  now  have  availed  myself  of  his  ser- 
vices ;  but  it  was,  alas !  too  late.  From  Maracaibo 
we  were  taken  to  Caracas,  and  there  confined  in  a 
filthy  jail  in  company  with  some  of  the  worst  charac- 
ters in  the  country.  As  a  crowning  climax,  we  were 
loaded  with  irons,  and  treated  in  all  respects  like 
common  felons  by  orders  of  the  late  butcher  of  his 
country's  representatives.  We  only  owed  our  pres- 
ervation and  obtained  our  passports  for  CuraQao  to 
the  untiring  cfibrts  of  our  lamented  friend  Don  Juan 


HO!    FOR  MARACAIBO.  453 

Manuel  Munoz  j  Funes,  brother-in-law  to  Queen 
Cristina,  and  Spanish  Minister  at  Caracas,  a  true 
Spanish  hidalgo,  whose  name  will  be  ever  cherished 
by  the  Yenezuelian  people.  !N'oble  at  heart,  as  well 
as  in  principle,  his  main  eflort,  while  in  our  midst, 
was  to  conciliate,  by  his  gentlemanly  demeanor  rather 
than  through  treaties,  the  long  pending  difficulties  be- 
tween his  nation  and  her  former  colony  of  the  Main. 
Although  his  demise  occurred  while  absent  from  his 
post,  Caracas  paid  to  his  memory,  in  solemn  funeral 
obsequies,  that  tribute  of  love  and  respect  only  shown 
to  the  most  favored  of  her  sons. 


CHAPTER  XXXII. 

PAEZ. 

After  a  separation  of  fifteen  months,  during 
which  time  many  hardships  and  vicissitudes  had 
been  experienced  on  both  sides,  we  had  the  happiness, 
on  the  18th  of  April,  of  rejoining  our  Leader,  then 
at  Curasao,  entirely  recovered  from  his  late  illness, 
and  ready  to  take  the  field  once  more  against  the 
oppressor  of  his  country.  Scarcely  a  week  elapsed, 
which  did  not  bring  us  tidings  of  some  new  act  of 
high-handed  persecution  against  unofi'ending  citizens. 
The  property  of  the  disaffected  was  seized,  wherever 
found;  entire  cattle  estates  were  relieved  of  their 
herds,  by  the  followers  of  Monagas,  while  the  rev- 
enues of  the  custom  houses  were  apj)ropriated  at  once 
as  the  patrimony  of  his  family.  A  reign  of  terror 
was  established  at  the  capital,  and  throughout  the 
most  important  districts  of  the  country.  Gregorito, 
a  son  of  the  weak-minded  Jose  Gregorio,  vied  with 
the  ferocious  Juan  Sotillo,  in  the  exploits  by  whLch 
they  endeavored  to  maintain  the  prestige  of  the 
dreaded  fraternity.* 

*  An  honorable  exception  must  be  made  of  the  sons  of  Jos6  Tadco, 
who  bore  no  part  in  these  atrocities,  and  whoso  exemplary  conduct  and 


PAEZ.  455 

To  arrest,  if  possible,  further  iniquities,  and  being 
urged  repeatedly  from  all  quarters  of  the  republic  to 
come  to  the  rescue  of  the  inhabitants,  General  Paez, 
with  a  select  body  of  officers,  sailed  for  Coro  on  the  1st 
of  June — a  successful  pronunciamento  having  already 
been  effected  in  the  province — and  immediately  took 
the  field  with  the  troops  collected  there.  Although 
these  scarcely  amounted  to  one  thousand,  our  Leader 
felt  confident  that  the  people  in  other  parts  w^ould  fol- 
low the  example  of  those  of  Coro,  and  lend  him  their 
support,  as  had  been  previously  offered  him.  With 
the  object  of  ascertaining  the  extent  of  what  they 
promised,  our  little  army,  encumbered  with  a  long 
train  of  baggage-donkeys  and  mules,  mostly  loaded 
with  ammunition,  and  three  hundred  reserved  muskets 
— commenced  their  march  toward  the  east  on  the 
20th,  this  being  the  most  expeditious  way  of  deciding 
the  contest  with  our  enemies.  We  encamped  the 
first  night  at  Taratara,  the  scene  of  a  former  struggle 
with  them,  the  recollection  of  which  afforded  me  no 
grounds  for  dreams  of  future  triumphs. 

The  next  stopping-place  w^as  the  town  of  Cuma- 
rebo,  pleasantly  located  on  the  summit  of  a  moun- 
tain, and  celebrated  in  the  history  of  the  country  as 
being  also  the  scene  of  several  sanguinary  conflicts 
between  royalists  and  patriots.  Thus  might  one 
travel  from  Maracaibo  to  Maturin — the  two  extreme 
ends  of  the  republic — over  one  continuous  battle- 
ground, the  war  arena  for  half  a  century  of  a  people 
scarcely  numbering  one  million  of  souls. 

gentlemanly  demeanor  gained  them  the  respect  of  the  inhabitants,  and 
contrasted  singularly  with  the  actions  and  rough  manners  of  the  remain- 
der of  the  family. 


456  ^^^^  SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

Cumarebo  gave  to  us  a  few  additional  volunteers, 
and  the  mountains  of  San  Luis  a  small  column  of 
infantry,  wliicli  together  increased  our  effective  force 
to  about  eight  hundred.  On  the  night  of  our  arrival 
at  Cumarebo,  we  were  entertained  for  a  couple  of 
hours  by  the  recitation  of  some  poems,  by  a  talented 
negro  slave,  belonging  to  the  family  at  whose  house 
we  were  stopping,  and  composed  by  him  in  honor  of 
General  Paez.  Our  pleasure  and  astonishment  were 
enhanced  upon  learning  that  this  rude  poet — unable 
to  read  or  write — was  forced  to  commit  to  memory 
his  compositions  even  as  he  conceived  them. 

On  the  23d,  we  resumed  the  march  through  a 
delightfully  shaded  road,  with  occasional  openings  of 
green  savannas,  and  halted  at  Piritu,  a  town  of  little 
importance,  but  which  nevertheless  contributed  its 
full  quota  of  volunteers  to  the  good  cause.  These 
formed  part  of  the  force  under  General  Carmona, 
who  was  already  posted  on  the  road  to  Puerto 
Cabello. 

ISTo  less  patriotic  were  the  young  ladies  of  this  place, 
who,  in  addition  to  an  address  read  by  them  in  verse 
to  our  Leader,  prepared  for  ]iim  a  chair  of  state, 
adorned  with  flags  and  other  allegorical  emblems. 
Piritu  is  likewise  noted  for  the  beauty  of  its  climate 
and  surrounding  scenery.  From  our  quarters  in  the 
plaza,  I  enjoyed  at  the  same  time  a  view  of  the 
mountain  range  on  which  the  town  is  situated,  and 
of  the  famous  valley  of  the  Yaracuy,  toward  the  south. 
Lack  of  space,  and  of  adequate  language,  prevents 
a  description  of  that  magnificent  valley,  which,  upon 
its  wild  bosom,  bears  many  a  winding  river  pursuing 


PAEZ.  .  457 

theif  silent  course  to  the  Caribbean  Sea,  through 
dense  forests  of  invaluable  vegetable  products,  and 
over  vast  savannas,  rivalling  in  freshness  even  those 
of  the  Apure.  With  regret  I  turned  away  from  this 
enchanting  view,  to  join  the  main  body  of  our  troops, 
now  far  beyond  the  town.  My  duties  as  aide-de-camp 
to  the  Commander-in-Chief,  necessarily  required  my 
constant  attendance  at  his  side,  often  depriving  me 
of  the  contemplation  of  scenes  more  in  harmony 
with  my  tastes. 

We  tarried  for  two  days  on  the  plains  of  Curari, 
to  procure  a  herd  of  cattle,  as  our  march  was  to  be 
henceforth  through  a  complete  wilderness,  the  plan 
of  the  campaign  having  been  altered,  in  order  to 
reach  the  Llanos — the  goal  of  our  Leader's  aspirations 
— by  a  short  cut :  his  deficiency  in  cavalry,  and  the 
certainty  of  a  movement  in  his  favor  so  soon  as  the 
people  there  should  hear  of  his  landing,  rendered  this 
change  expedient. 

On  the  2tl:tli,  we  reached  the  village  of  Jacura, 
where  we  expected  to  incorporate  the  force  under 
Carmona.  In  this,  however,  we  were  disappointed, 
as  Carmona  insisted  upon  being  left  behind  to  guard 
against  any  attack  on  our  rear  ;  a  precaution  hardly 
necessary,  having  little  to  fear  in  this  respect  from 
the  population  of  Coro.  A  lofty  range  of  mountains 
intervened  between  this  province  and  the  Llanos, 
while  the  force  at  our  command  was  insufficient  to 
cope  with  the  numerical  strength  of  our  opponents. 

Undeterred  by  the  almost  insuperable  obstacles 
to  be  encountered  on  the  route,  our  Leader  gave  the 
order  to  march  southward,  impelled  thereto  by  that 

20 


458  ^^^^   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

righteous,  self-sacrificing  spirit,  which  has  ever  been 
his  guide. 

The  first,  few  leagues  of  the  journey  convinced 
us  that  we  had  taken  the  wrong  road  ;  but  to  return 
was  now  impossible :  so,  forcing  our  way  through 
tangled  branches,  and  skirting  fearful  precipices,  we 
reached  at  length  the  ranch  of  Guararipana,  inhabited 
by  an  old  negro,  Anselmo,  who,  with  his  family  of 
half  a  dozen  daughters  and  as  many  boys,  were  the 
only  human  beings  we  had  encountered  since  leaving 
Jacura. 

On  the  29th,  we  descended  the  first  range  of 
mountains,  and  encamped  on  the  borders  of  the  Rio 
Tocuyo,  w^hich  we  crossed  with  great  difficulty  on 
the  following  day,  having  only  one  small  canoe  in 
which  to  transport  ourselves  and  our  heavy  baggage. 

Owing  to  the  incessant  rains,  the  road,  or  rather 
path,  had  become  impassable,  so  that  we  advanced 
but  little  on  the  30th ;  and  our  weary  troops  were 
compelled  to  encamp  supperless  on  the  slope  of  a 
precipitous  mountain,  as  soon  as  it  grew  dark.  Sev- 
eral of  our  animals,  missing  their  footing,  rolled  down 
the  precipice,  and  among  them  my  own  horse,  which, 
fearing  a  fall,  I  was  driving  before  me.  Unwilling 
to  give  him  up  for  lost,  I  followed  hi^  descent,  but 
presently  found  myself  imbedded  to  my  knees  in  the 
most  adhesive  mud,  enveloped  in  complete  darkness, 
and  with  little  or  no  hope  of  rejoining  my  compan- 
ions. My  chief  dread  was  that  I  might  fall  into  the 
jaws  of  some  ferocious  panther,  or  step  upon  some 
of  the  horrid  serpents  abounding  there.  IsTever  had  I 
known  real  terror  until  that  fearful  night.    After  long 


PAEZ.  459 

and  desperate  struggles  to  free  myself  from  the  mud, 
and  assisted  by  occasional  gleams  of  light  from  the 
very  large  and  numerous  fire-flies,  I  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  extricating  myself  from  the  "  slough  of 
despond  "  into  which  my  horse  had  led  me.  Happily 
I  soon  overtook  a  soldier  driving  a  tired  horse,  which, 
in  the  darkness,  I  at  first  had  mistaken  for  a  panther. 
From  the  man  I  learned,  to  my  great  relief,  that  the 
advance  guard  was  encamped  further  on,  upon  the 
banks  of  the  rivulet  or  quebrada  of  Cararapa,  toward 
which  he  was  now  going.  We  therefore  walked 
along  in  company,  driving  the  horse  before  us,  to 
serve,  if  necessary,  as  a  scapegoat  to  the  tigers.  I 
arrived  at  last  safe  and  sound,  with  only  the  loss  of  my 
shoes  and  an  excellent  horse,  at  the  quehrada.  Speedily 
dofling  my  muddy  garments,  I  devoted  myself  to  most 
thorough  ablutions ;  and  after  well  washing  my  clothes, 
I  squatted  down,  Indian  fashion,  to  dry  them  and 
myself  before  a  blazing  fire.  Such  are  some  of  the 
delights  of  campaigning  among  the  mountains  of 
South  America. 

We  wandered  through  tangled  forests,  and  over 
the  lofty  Sierra  of  Aroa — famous  for  the  richness  of 
its  copper  mines  and  the  boldness  of  its  panthers — 
until  the  5th  of  August,  when  we  descended  to  the 
valley  of  Yaracuy,  dispersing  some  guerillas  we  en- 
countered, without  any  serious  casualties  on  our  side. 
We  afterward  passed  through  several  villages  on  the 
roTite ;  but  although  the  inhabitants  were  known  to 
be  friendly  disposed  toward  us,  they  invariably  dis- 
appeared at  our  approach,  doubtless  afraid  to  com- 
promise themselves. 


460  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

On  the  7th,  we  reached  the  summit  of  another 
range  of  mountains,  mostly  covered  with  verdant 
meadows,  admirably  adapted  for  raising  sheep,  al- 
though not  a  single  flock  of  these  useful  animals  exists 
there.  We  slept  at  the  farm  of  Pontezuela,  where 
we  noticed  some  fine  cattle,  and  on  the  8th  pre- 
pared to  march  on  the  ancient  city  of  Nirgua,  where 
the  enemy  was  reported  to  be  in  force.  We  still 
held  as  prisoners  of  war,  the  Governor  appointed  by 
Monagas  in  Coro,  his  military  commander,  General 
Yalero,  of  ventriloquial  celebrity,  and  other  worthies, 
who  being  more  of  an  encumbrance  than  profit,  our 
Commander-in-Chief  paroled  them  all,  and  left  them 
behind,  unwilling  to  expose  their  persons  to  the 
bullets  of  their  own  friends.  The  latter,  however, 
retired  at  our  approach,  and  we  occupied  the  city 
without  the  least  opposition. 

Nirgua  is  the  third  city  in  antiquity  of  those 
founded  by  the  Spaniards  on  the  New  Continent,  as 
its  present  dilapidated  state  shows  ;  but  it  would  be 
difiicult  to  find  a  more  delicious  climate  or  lovelier 
environs.  It  is  situated  upon  a  high  plateau,  sur- 
rounded by  still  higher  mountains,  from  whose  sum- 
mit there  flows  ever  an  unceasing  current  of  refresh- 
ing air.  There  we  enjoyed  what  we  stood  most  in 
need  of,  viz.,  a  day  of  rest  and  a  good  dinner,  but 
no  pronunciamento,  most  of  the  men  having  previously 
been  driven  from  the  town  by  a  despotic  military 
commander. 

We  had  not  been  molested  by  the  enemy  in  some 
days  ;  but,  on  the  morning  of  the  10th,  a  large  force, 
composed  of  infantry  and  cavalry,  appeared  on  our 


PAEZ.  461 

rear,  drawn  up  on  the  heights  commanding  the  city. 
We  expected  every  moment  to  be  attacked,  and  pre- 
pared to  receive  them,  our  policy  being  throughout 
the  campaign,  to  maintain  ourselves  strictly  on  the 
defensive.  Observing  that  the  enemy  did  not  seem 
disposed  to  risk  a  battle  in  the  narrow  streets  of 
Nirgua,  we  took  our  positions  outside,  on  the  road  lead- 
ing to  Valencia,  when — supposiug  we  were  attempt- 
ing our  escape — they  rushed  down  npon  ns  most 
furiously.  Without  flinching,  we  awaited  their  ap- 
proach in  good  order  of  battle-^so  much  to  their 
chagrin,  that  without  advancing  within  range  of  our 
muskets,  they  poured  upon  us  volleys  of  vulgar 
abuse.  Unwilling  to  waste  our  time  and  ammunition 
upon  the  miserable  rabble,  we  moved  slowly  on  our 
way  over  a  fine  mountain  road,  evidently  much  fre- 
quented in  ordinary  times,  as  attested  by  the  number 
o^pidperias  and  farm-houses,  now  entirely  deserted. 

Attracted  by  the  beauty  of  the  scenery  and 
abundance  of  resources,  we  pitched  our  camp  early,  in 
the  evening,  in  the  charming  vale  of  El  Potrero,  the 
seat  of  a  fine  farm,  well  stocked  with  poultry,  vege- 
tables, and  cattle ;  and  these  being  considered  com- 
mon property  in  times  of  civil  war,  we  fared  well  that 
night,  especially  as  there  was  no  one  about  the 
premises  to  claim  them. 

The  advance  guard  had  some  hot  work  that  night 
with  the  pickets  of  another  force  in  front  of  us,  show- 
ing very  conclusively  that  we  were  hemmed  in 
between  two  fires,  as  the  other  phalanx  from  Nirgua, 
although  moving  on  very  cautiously,  was  known  to 
be  approaching  our  position.     Still,  when  morning 


462  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

dawned,  we  prepared  to  move  forward,  in  hopes  of 
soon  effecting  a  junction  with  the  cavalry  of  the 
Llanos,  our  Leader  having  received  positive  informa- 
tion at  !N^irgua  that  a  great  portion  of  that  warlike 
section  of  the  republic  was  already  in  arms  against 
Monagas. 

The  road  from  El  Potrero  passes  over  a  low  range 
of  hills,  from  whose  summit  we  enjoyed  a  fine  view 
of  the  enchanting  plain  of  Albahacas ;  and  several 
miles  beyond,  the  coffee-bearing  mountains  of  Mont- 
alban — decked  in  the  choicest  products  of  a  temperate 
clime — lifted  here  and  there  giant  peaks  amid  a  hover- 
ing veil  of  fleecy  clouds.  In  vain  we  strained  our 
eyes  in  tlie  endeavor  to  descry  the  position  of  the 
force  opposed  to  us,  in  that  direction.  Concealed  by 
the  woody  copses  along  the  numerous  streams  of  the 
plain,  the  enemy  awaited  our  approach,  ready  to 
spring  upon  us  like  sneaking  hyenas  from  their  lairs. 
Onward  we  went  through  mire  and  rain,  without 
meeting  with  any  accident  until  we  reached  the 
middle  of  the  plain.  Having  halted  to  prepare  our 
morning  meal  at  a  deserted  inn,  the  usual  precautions 
were  taken  to  guard  against  a  surprise  ;  but  before  we 
had  had  time  to  light  the  fires,  the  advance  guard, 
which  had  been  posted  on  the  banks  of  a  river  on  our 
left,  was  suddenly  attacked  by  a  large  force  under 
cover  of  the  woods  skirting  the  river,  while  our  front 
and  right  flank  were  menaced  at  the  same  time  by 
large  masses  of  infantry  and  cavalry.  Before  we  came 
to  blows  with  these,  our  little  band  on  the  left,  com- 
manded by  the  brave  American,  Captain  Clements, 
put  to  flight  the  force  opposed  to  him,  which  so 


PAEZ.  463 

affriglited  the  otliers — especially  as  they  could  not  as- 
certain our  actual  numbers  on  account  of  the  woods 
— as  to  cause  an  immediate  change  in  their  tactics,  re- 
sulting in  an  inglorious  retreat  toward  the  neighbor- 
ing woods.  Without  giving  them  time  to  recover  from 
their  astonishment,  we  pushed  boldly  on  across  the 
plain,  anxious  to  regain  the  higher  ground,  where  we 
could  more  easily  defy  their  whole  force,  in  case  they 
were  disposed,  to  renew  the  attack.  Some  ineffectual 
attempts  were  made  by  detachments  of  cavalry  to 
head  us  off,  but  their  infantry  did  not  show  itself  un- 
til it  was  too  late  to  arrest  our  progi^ess. 

Once  again  on  high  ground,  we  could  with  ease 
view  the  various  co72ys  d^armee  operatmg  against  us 
on  the  plain  of  Albahacas.  Without  reckoning  the 
forces  which  so  mysteriously  disappeared  in  the  woods 
on  our  right  and  front,  there  w^as  to  the  left  of  the  po- 
sition lately  occupied  by  us,  and  screened  by  the  in- 
tervening ridge  of  woods  along  the  river  banks,  a  long 
line  of  cavalry,  2,000  strong,  besides  the  corj)s  of  in- 
fantry so  bravely  repulsed  by  Captain  Clements.  It 
was  a  fortunate  circumstance  that  our  victorious  sol- 
diers, while  endeavoring  to  ford  the  river  in  pursuit 
of  the  flying  enemy,  wetted  their  powder,  compelling 
them  to  return  to  their  positions,  thereby  escaping  the 
onset  of  the  enemy's  hidden  cavalry.  The  road  from 
Nirgua  was  held  by  the  force  which  had  hovered  on 
our  rear  the  day  before ;  while  the  host  which  at- 
tempted to  intercept  our  march  toward  the  mountains 
could  not  have  been  less  than  seven  hundred.  In  all, 
the  enemy  numbered  about  five  thousand  men  ! 

We  remained  in  undisturbed  possession  of  the  field 


464:  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

until  night,  when,  having  rested  sufficiently  from  our 
fatigues  of  that  day,  we  took  the  road  to  the  Llanos, 
leaving  our  discomfited  foes  to  concoct  a  more  suc- 
cessful scheme  for  entrapping  us.  We  had  laid  the 
"  flattering  unction  to  our  souls,"  that  the  most  diffi- 
cult part  of  the  journey  had  been  already  accom- 
plished, as  it  was  impossible  to  conceive  of  a  worse 
road  than  the  one  we  had  left  behind  us  ;  but  a  few 
steps  onward  in  the  darkness  revealed  to  us  the  folly 
of  our  hopes  ;  and  we  found  that  there  was  greater 
danger  of  being  hurled  into  eternity  down  one  of  the 
surrounding  precipices,  than  from  the  comparatively 
harmless  fire  of  the  enemy.  Trusting  more  to  our 
own  hands  and  feet  than  to  the  four-footed  beasts  to 
scramble  with  us  up  the  steep  ascent,  the  few  who 
were  still  fortunate  enough  to  ride  a  horse,  dismount- 
ed and  performed  this  portion  of  the  journey  partly 
on  all  fours.  When  midnight  came,  the  whole  army 
was  fairly  exhausted  by  fatigue  and  hunger,  and  dis- 
pirited also,  having  lost  all  prospect  of  ameliorating 
its  condition.  The  only  refuge  left  us  from  our  sor- 
rows was  in  sleep  ;  so,  spreading  our  ponchos  upon  a 
bleak  and  rugged  peak  several  thousand  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  plains  we  were  in  quest  of,  officers 
and  privates  were  soon  on  a  level  with  each  other. 
When  we  rose  at  early  dawn  to  proceed  on  our  weary 
journey,  the  ground  around  us  was  frozen  like  the 
hearts  of  the  wanderers  when  remembering  that, 
though  inveigled  into  this  hazardous  enterprise  by 
our  own  countrymen,  as  yet  not  one  had  ventured  out 
of  his  hiding  place  to  give  us  even  the  least  informa- 
tion concerning  the  state  of  affairs  in  the  republic. 


PAEZ.  465 

This  day's  march,  thongli  not  so  fatiguing  to  our 
troops,  as  we  had  already  attained  the  summit  of  the 
Cordillera,  and  were  now  on  the  descent,  was  none 
the  less  discouraging,  from  the  absolute  scarcity  of 
provisions  along  the  route.  Late  in  the  afternoon  the 
advance  guard  surprised  a  post  of  about  a  hundred 
men,  who  fired  a  few  shots  and  then  decamped,  leav- 
ing in  the  possession  of  our  famished  soldiers  a  slaugh- 
tered cow,  which  they  were  preparing  to  roast.  Some- 
what strengthened  by  this  unexpected  meal,  we  were 
enabled  to  push  forward  to  the  next  post,  arriving  late 
in  the  evening  at  the  hamlet  of  Casupo,  w^hich  proved 
to  be  deserted,  but  where  we  found  abundant  stock 
of  cattle  and  waving  fields  of  Indian  corn. 

"We  expected  to  have  reached  El  Tinaco,  a  town 
on  the  borders  of  the  Llanos,  the  next  day ;  but,  on 
resuming  the  journey,  we  discovered  the  heights 
commanding  the  road  already  occupied  by  a  large 
band  of  ragamuffins  under  Zamora,  who,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  commenced  the  attack  upon  our  advancing 
columns  with  volleys  of  abuse,  before  they  bethought 
themselves  of  their  arms.  Disregarding  both,  and 
not  even  firing  a  shot  in  return,  our  Commander-in- 
Chief  ordered  the  advance  up  a  steep  mountain  on  the 
right  of  their  position — a  movement  evidently  mistaken 
by  the  enemy  for  unwilhngness  on  our  part  to  fight 
at  all ;  for,  shouting  in  exultation,  they  came  precipi- 
tately down  upon  us.  Our  Leader  had  anticipated  this 
result  of  his  ruse.  When,  therefore,  they  were  suffi- 
ciently detached  from  their  inaccessible  eyrie.  Colonel 
Minchin,  wdio  commanded  the  rear  guard,  charged 
upon  them  with  the  bayonet,  killing  forty,  and  scat- 
20* 


4,QQ  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA.    ' 

tering  the  remainder  like  a  flock  of  geese.  But  six  of 
our  number  were  killed  and  eighteen  wounded — among 
the  latter  Lieutenant  Minchin,  son  of  the  gallant  Col- 
onel, who,  perceiving  the  young  man  fainting  from 
loss  of  blood,  quietly  said  to  him  :  "  Stay  behind,  my 
son,  until  I  punish  these  rascals."  Their  cavalry,  five 
hundred  strong,  was  drawn  up  in  a  valley  at  the  foot 
of  the  mountain,  evidently  intending  to  fall  upon  us 
if  we  were  defeated  ;  but  on  a  platoon  of  infantry  be- 
ing brought  against  them,  they  all  turned  tail  and 
disappeared  before  our  soldiers  had  even  a  chance  to 
empty  their  muskets.  We  then  continued  our  march 
through  the  valley  without  further  molestation,  by 
Avords  or  acts,  from  our  despicable  enemy. 

Although  this  part  of  the  country  showed  more 
signs  of  human  life  than  the  portion  preceding  it,  we 
did  not  encounter  a  single  person  on  the  route  until 
we  arrived  at  Yallecito,  a  prettily-located  farm  several 
miles  beyond  Casupo.  Our  attention  was  here  at- 
tracted to  the  following  inscription  in  large  characters 
upon  the  lintel  of  the  farm-house — a  sentiment  wdiich 
should  find  a  place  in  every  homestead  in  the  land  : 

Do  UNTO  OTHERS  AS  YOU  WOULD  HAVE  OTHERS  DO  UNTO  YOU ; 
AND  LET  THE  WAYWORN  TRAVELLER  EVER  FIND  EEST  AND  COM- 
FORT BENEATH  THIS  HUMBLE  ROOF. 

On  the  strength  of  this  Christian  and  hospitable 
invitation,  our  Commander-in-Chief  and  his  staff  rode 
into  the  courtyard  of  the  farm-house,  where  the  own- 
er, Seiior  Mercedes  Cepeda — a  singularly  appro j)ri  ate 
name — came  to  receive  us  witii  every  manifestation 
of  cordiality.  All  the  other  houses  on  the  transit  were 


PAEZ. 


467 


deserted  by  tlie  inhabitants,  our  mendacious  enemies 
having  spread  the  report  that  we  came  to  ravage  their 
firesides,  with  many  other  accusations  of  a  similar 
character. 

While  these  infamous  slanders  were  being  mali- 
ciously circulated  by  the  abettors  of  the  tyrant,  the 
authors  were  themselves  actually  perpetrating  the 
villanous  acts  which  they  had  attributed  to  us  among 
the  people  of  the  Llanos,  who,  not  receiving  prompt 
information  of  our  approach,  had  fallen  a  prey  to  the 
sanguinary  hordes  of  Juan  Sotillo  before  we  could 
render  them  any  assistance.  Calabozo  and  Chagua- 
ramas,  the  two  most  important  towns  in  the  plains, 
particularly  aroused  Sotillo's  wrath  to  a  degree  that 
threatened  the  entire  extermination  of  the  whites  in 
both  places.  Several  prominent  persons  were  brutally 
murdered,  and  their  bodies  horribly  mutilated  by  the 
"  Minotaur  of  Santa  Anna."  *  Of  this  number  were 
the  noble  brothers  Belisarios,  of  Chaguaramas,  whose 
salted  heads  were  sent,  along  with  those  of  Dr.  Pen  a 
and  Miguel  Coucin,  of  Calabozo,  by  Sotillo,  to  Mona- 
gas  as  the  most  acceptable  present  to  his  "  Compae 
Tadeo."  Previous  to  this,  however,  he  carried  these 
trophies  to  Calabozo,  and  halting  before  the  house  of 
the  bereaved  family,  ordered  the  matron  Doila  Petro- 
na  Camacho,  Coucin's  mother-in-law,  and  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  ladies  in  the  city,  to  be  brought  into 
his  presence,  and  in  the  most  insulting  and  barbarous 
language  announced  to  her  the  vandalic  deed  !     And 


*  Santa  Anna,  a  village  in  the  Llanos  of  Barcelona,  Sotillo's  birth- 
place. 


468  "^ILD   SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

this  monster  is  still  at  large,  and  still  perpetrating 
similar  acts  of  barbarity  in  my  country  ! 

Convinced  of  the  inutility  of  prosecuting  the  cam- 
paign, General  Paez,  rather  than  sacrifice  his  faithful 
companions  in  a  hopeless  struggle,  despatched  on  the 
14th  two  commissioners  to  General  Silva,  Command- 
er-in-Chief of  the  forces  opposed  to  him,  proposing  a 
termination  of  hostilities  under  certain  conditions.  The 
commissioners  returned  in  the  afternoon  of  the  same 
day  with  an  unsatisfactory  reply,  when  our  Leader  at 
once  decided  to  send  his  chief  of  staff.  General  Cor- 
dero,  competently  authorized  to  arrange  the  basis  of  a 
capitulation  with  Silva,  to  whom  he  addressed  the 
following  letter : 


To  the  Commander  of  the  Forces  operating  in  this  Province, 

Sie: 

On  my  arrival  at  the  seat  of  Albahacas  the  11th 
inst.,  I  learned  that  your  Excellency  was  at  the  head 
of  the  army  to  oppose  my  progress.  I  then  resolved 
to  invite  your  Excellency  to  terminate  the  civil  war 
in  a  pacific  manner  ;  but  before  closing  my  communi- 
cation, I  was  attacked  and  obliged  to  defend  myself. 
I  entertain  to-day  the  same  sentiments  that,  upon  the 
11th,  I  was  about  to  communicate  to  you ;  they  are 
those  which,  as  Commander-in-Chief  and  as  President 
of  the  Republic,  I  have  always  practised. 

I  wish  to  put  an  end  to  the  present  contest  with- 
out adding  to  the  calamities  which  the  country  al- 
ready so  bitterly  deplores  ;  and  I  believe  this  can  be 
speedily  effected  if  your  Excellency  adopts  the  meas- 


PAEZ.  469 

ures  I  propose  through  my  chief  of  staff,  General  Leon 
de  Febres  Cordero. 

(Signed,)  Paez. 

Head-quaeters  at  the  Seat  of  Vallecito, 

August  15,  1849. 

In  accordance  with  the  wishes  expressed  in  the 
above  communication.  General  Cordero  entered  into 
an  agreement  with  Silva,  by  which  the  latter  engaged 
himself  to  guarantee  the  lives,  and  respect  the  persons 
of  all  the  officers  and  soldiers  under  the  immediate  or- 
ders of  our  Commander-in-Chief,  who  only  wished 
permission  to  quit  the  country  as  speedily  as  possible ; 
the  officers  retaining  their  swords,  and  the  rank  and 
file  to  be  immediately  discharged.  Upon  these  con- 
ditions, and  trusting  to  the  assurance  given  by  Silva 
that  the  terms  of  this  capitulation  should  be  respected 
by  those  in  authority,  our  brave  soldiers  resigned 
their  arms  to  the  officers  appointed  by  Silva  to  re- 
ceive them,  and  the  General-in-Chief,  accompanied  by 
his  officers,  then  rode  over  to  Macapo  Abajo,  the 
head-quarters  of  the  former. 

On  the  16th,  we  all  started  for  Valencia,  the  capi- 
tal of  the  province  Carabobo,  so  named  in  honor  of 
the  battle-field  where  Paez  sealed  forever  the  inde- 
pendence of  his  country.  While  upon  the  road  to  Va- 
lencia, we  had  the  pleasure  of  riding  through  that 
celebrated  battle-ground,  which  circumstance  fully 
repaid  some  of  us  for  all  the  hardships  and  privations 
we  had  thus  far  endured,  the  victor  himself  acting  on 
this  occasion  as  our  cicerone.  We  listened  with  in- 
tense interest  to  his  account  of  that  memorable  en- 


470  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

gagement,  as  he  pointed  out  to  us  tlie  most  notewor- 
thy features  of  the  field.  Here  the  heroic  British 
Legion  received  unmoved,  and  gallantly  repelled,  the 
successive  charges  with  the  bayonet,  and  the  raking 
fire  of  the  whole  Spanish  infantry.  There  the  famous 
Guardia  de  Honor — Paez'  body-guard — swept  like 
the  thundering  tornado  over  the  plain,  spreading  ter- 
ror and  destruction  among  the  enemy's  cavalry. 
Further  beyond,  "  the  bravest  of  the  brave,"  General 
Cedeiio,  and  the  fiery  young  commander,  Ambrosio 
Plaza,  fell  in  their  eagerness  to  share  with  Paez  the 
honors  of  the  day,  the  skilful  and  rapid  manoeuvring 
of  his  division  having  secured  the  triumph  of  the  re- 
publican arms  ere  the  respective  commands  of  the 
fallen  heroes  could  participate  in  the  battle.  Then 
the  conqueror,  "  his  brows  bound  with  victorious 
wreaths,"  was  hailed  with  the  wildest,  most  enthusi- 
astic acclamations  of  the  multitude :  the  respectful 
homage  of  his  brother  soldiers  was  his.  Then  how 
almost  overwhelming  the  adulation  lavished  upon  him 
from  every  side  !  How  great  the  contrast  now! 
Over  that  same  field  where  he  had  achieved  the  free- 
dom of  his  country,  he  now  passed  unarmed  and  a 
prisoner,  in  the  hands  of  those  countrymen,  whom, 
having  delivered  from  vassalage,  he  had  now  striven 
to  save  from  tyrannical  oppression,  and  so  sacrificed 
himself. 

Midway  between  Carabobo  and  the  capital,  Zamo- 
ra's  dastardly  mob,  that  would  not  face  our  bayonets  at 
Casupo,  was  the  first  to  assail  us,  now  that  we  had  been 
deprived — contrary  to  the  agreement  with  Silva — of 
our  swords.    The  utmost  efforts  on  the  part  of  the  es- 


PAEZ.  471 

cort  furnislied  by  tlie  General  for  our  preservation  were 
required  to  prevent  a  wholesale  butchery  of  our  par- 
ty. As  we  approached  Yalencia,  the  mob,  instigated 
by  the  Governor,  Joaquin  Herrera,  became  more  and 
more  threatening,  while  a  Captain  Perez,  an  assassin 
in  the  employ  of  that  functionary,  and  doubtless  com- ., 
missioned  by  him  to  commence  the  bloody  fray,  de- 
liberately rode  into  the  midst  of  our  party,  blunder- 
buss in  hand.  Selecting  Colonel  Celis  for  his  first 
victim,  he  endeavored  to  shoot  him,  but  his  blunder- 
buss fortunately  missed  fire.  Various  other  attempts 
to  murder  us  were  made  by  the  desperadoes;  but, 
thanks  to  the  resolute  stand  taken  by  the  commander 
of  the  escort,  we  were  enabled  to  reach  Yalencia  in 
safety. 

Foiled  in  this,  the  Governor  now  resorted  to  other 
no  less  criminal  plans  for  our  extermination.  x'>o 
sooner  were  we  within  the  i)recincts  of  the  plaza,  than 
the  vandals  of  Zamora  surrounded  us,  and  we  should 
doubtless  have  been  sacrificed,  but  for  the  earnest  re- 
monstrances of  General  Silva,  who  was  in  honor 
bound  to  protect  us.  Herrera  then  ordered  us  to  dis- 
mount, and  notwithstanding  he  had  given  his  consent 
that  the  ladies  of  Yalencia  might  prepare  comfortable 
quarters  for  all,  marched  us  into  that  filthy  hole,  the 
city  prison.  Tliere  he  crowded  us  nearly  to  suffoca- 
tion into  a  small  room  swarming  with  vermin,  while 
most  of  our  eflfects,  together  with  the  furniture  of  the 
house  prepared  for  our  reception,  became  the  spoil  of 
his  mercenary  dependents.  The  next  day  our  re- 
spected Leader  and  other  prominent  ofiicers  were  load- 


472  WILD  SCENES   IN    SOUTH   AMERICA. 

ed  with  irons,  while  our  soldiers  were  distributed 
among  the  plantations  of  the  Government  officials. 

Not  satisfied  with  the  ignominious  treatment  he 
gave  us,  Herrera  concocted  with  Zamora,  who  became 
our  jailer  on  this  occasion,  the  plan  of  confining  our 
Leader  alone — though  then  suffering  from  illness — in 
a  damp  and  ruinous  apartment,  open  to  the  rains  and 
dews  of  night.  I  entreated  permission  to  accompany 
him,  and  although  Zamora  at  first  objected,  Herrera 
finally  consented,  and  I  was  allowed  to  attend  my  aged 
father.  The  rest  of  our  companions  were  sent,  some 
to  fill  the  crumbling  vaults  of  the  fortifications  at  La 
Guaira,  others  to  share  the  felons'  quarters  in  the 
common  jail  of  Caracas. 

After  being  subjected  for  many  days  to  this  bar- 
barous treatment,  the  order  came  from  Monagas  to 
send  us  also  to  the  capital,  under  the  escort  of  our 
epauletted  jailer,  who  took  particular  pains,  on  the 
way  thither,  to  torment  us  in  every  conceivable  man- 
ner ;  sometimes  denying  us  the  comfort  of  a  quiet  rest 
at  night ;  at  other  times  inciting  the  populace,  but 
more  especially  the  slaves  of  the  plantations  on  the 
route,  against  the  venerable  captive.  On  one  occa- 
sion Zamora  called  out  the  whole  gang  of  negroes  from 
an  estate  near  Maracay,  and  taking  a  young  one  from 
the  arms  of  its  mother,  commenced  caressing  it,  to 
flatter  the  vanity  of  the  blacks,  whom  he  addressed  in 
the  following  words  :  "  Here,  boys,  comes  the  Lord 
and  Master  who  has  kept  yo\i  in  bondage  all  these 
years,  while  we  Liberales  have  been  striving  to  free 
you  ;  henceforth  you  will  be  at  liberty  to  do  jiftt  as 
you  please."     After  this  harangue,  it  is  almost  super- 


PAEZ.  473 

flnous  to  add  we  were  at  the  mercy  of  the  frantic 
blacks,  who,  armed  with  stones  and  cutlasses,  would 
have  torn  us  to  pieces,  but  for  the  officers  of  the  es- 
cort, who  hurried  us  out  of  reach. 

It  is  in  this  manner  that  the  demagogues  of  Yene- 
zuela — and,  indeed,  of  the  whole  of  South  America,  I 
may  add,  with  few  exceptions — seeking  only  their 
own  aggrandizement,  have  brought  that  fine  region 
to  the  verge  of  barbarism.  Not  only  have  they  anni- 
hilated the  conservative  element  which  alone  gave 
them  guarantees,  but  placed  a  most  terrible  weapon 
— such  as  universal  suffrage — in  the  hands  of  a  caste 
naturally  antagonistic  to  the  white  race,  and  by  far 
the  more  prolific  of  the  two.  The  fearful  revolution 
which  has  been  raging  in  Venezuela  for  the  last  three 
years — although  ostensibly  for  political  ascendency — 
is  nothing  but  the  "  irrepressible  conflict"  brought 
by  these  social  renegades,  and  which,  if  not  speedily 
neutralized  by  a  well-sustained  stream  of  immigration, 
win  ultimately  sweep  away  the  remnants  of  civiliza- 
tion from  my  unhappy  country.  Notwithstanding 
that  the  constitution  of  the  republic,  framed  after  that 
of  the  United  States,  was  most  liberal  in  all  respects, 
the  demagogues  calling  themselves  the  liberal  party, 
in  order  to  gain  proselytes,  commenced  by  demanding, 
on  behalf  of  the  colored  races,  privileges  and  fran- 
chises which  they  are  incapable  of  appreciating.  I 
have  shown  elsewhere  how  nearly  they  accomplished 
their  object  with  the  overthrow  of  the  conservative 
element  and  institutions  of  the  country.  The  turmoil 
and  confusion  of  that  revolt  brought  a  bolder  and 
more  unscrupulous  political  aspirant  to  fill  the  Presi- 


474:  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTU   AMERICA. 

dential  chair,  which  a  worthy  magistrate,  General 
Soublette,  had  occupied  with  honor,  but  unfortunately 
not  with  that  firmness  required  at  this  critical  period 
of  our  political  organization.  His  successor,  though 
possessing  that  quality  in  a  high  degree,  with  almost 
unparalleled  ingratitude,  turned  it  against  the  party 
that  had  raised  him  to  power,  appealing  for  support 
to  the  blacks,  he  being  himself  a  white  man.  When, 
after  a  time,  he  discovered  his  influence  nearly  gone, 
and  the  power  of  his  family  tottering  under  the  imbe- 
cile administration  of  his  brother  Jose  Gregorio,  he 
sanctioned  the  decree  of  emancipation  enacted  by  the 
latter,  in  order  to  gain  over  the  colored  population, 
and  thus  make  soldiers  of  the  liberated  slaves.  He 
succeeded  in  this,  but  at  what  cost !  at  the  expense 
of  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  country,  and,  more 
especially,  of  the  domestic  comfort  of  the  whole  com- 
munity ;  for  not  only  did  the  slaves,  but  the  free 
blacks  also,  refuse  to  work  for  the  whites,  whom  they 
insulted  in  all  the  public  thoroughfares,  even  threat- 
ening their  lives.  Fearing  to  be  utterly  exterminated 
by  them,  the  whites  are  now  striving  to  save  them- 
selves from  the  curse  thus  brought  upon  them.  In  no 
instance  has  the  act  of  these  political  disorganizers 
been  that  of  actual  philanthropy  toward  the  "  down- 
trodden and  oppressed  African  ;  "  their  sole  aim  was 
to  court  the  favor,  and  thus  enlist  the  services  of  a 
race  numerically  stronger  than  their  own. 

It  was  doubtless  the  conviction  that  such  would 
finally  be  the  calamitous  state  of  the  countries  he 
helped  to  liberate,  that  wrung  from  the  great  Bolivar 
this  awful  prophecy,  with  regard  to  the  Southern  con- 


PAEZ.  475 

tinent  of  the  New  "World :  "  America  is  ungovern- 
able ;  those  who  have  served  her  revolution  have 
ploughed  in  the  sea.  These  countries  will  inevitably 
fall  into  the  hands  of  the  unrestrained  multitude,  to 
become  then  the  prey  of  petty  tyrants  of  all  grades 
and  races ;  when,  overpowered  by  ferocity  and  bar- 
barism, foreign  nations  will  not  even  deign  to  con- 
quer us.  Were  it  possible  to  return  a  portion  of  the 
earth  to  primitive  chaos,  this  would  be  the  last  jjeriod 
of  America."  * 

Such  seems  to  have  been  also  the  opinion  of  Dr. 
Poeppig,  a  learned  German  naturalist,  who  visited 
those  countries  about  that  time  ;  and  who,  in  his  ac- 
count of  Chili,  has  the  following  observations  : 

"  1^0  country  in  America  enjoys  to  Buch  a  degree 
as  Chili  the  advantages  which  a  state  derives  from 
a  homogeneous  population  and  the  absence  of  castes. 
If  this  young  republic  rose  more  speedily  than  any 
of  the  others  from  the  anarchy  of  the  revolutionary 
struggle,  and  has  attained  a  high  degree  of  civiliza- 
tion and  order,  with  a  rapidity  of  which  there  is  no 
example  in  this  continent,  it  is  chiefly  indebted  for 
those  advantages  to  the  circumstance  that  there  are 
extremely  few  people  of  color  among  its  citizens. 
Those  various  transitions  of  one  race  into  the  other 
are  here  unknown,  which  strangers  find  it  so  difficult 

*  La  America  es  ingobernable :  los  que  ban  servido  a  la  revolucion 
han  arado  en  el  mar :  lo  mejor  que  puede  haeerse  en  Am6rica  es  emigrar. 
Estos  paises  caeran  infaliblemente  en  manos  de  la  multitud  desenfrenada 
para  pasar  despues  a  tiranuelos  de  todos  colores  y  razas  ;  y  estinguidos  por 
la  feroeidad  y  la  barbarie,  los  estrangeros  ni  se  dignaran  conquistarnos. 
Si  fuera  posible  que  una  parte  del  mundo  volviese  al  caos  primitivo,  ese 
eeria  el  ultimo  period©  de  la  America. 


476  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

to  distinguish,  and  which,  in  countries  like  Brazil, 
must  lead,  sooner  or  later,  to  a  dreadful  war  of  exter- 
mination, and  in  Peru  and  Colombia  will  defer  to  a 
period  indefinitely  remote  the  establishment  of  gen- 
eral civilization.     *     *     *     If  it  is  a  great  evil  for  a 
state  to  have  two  very  different  races  of  men  for  its 
citizens,  the  disorder  becomes  general,  and  the  most 
dangerous  collisions  ensue,  when,  by  the  unavoidable 
mixture,  races  arise  which  belong  to  neither  party, 
and  in  general  inherit  all  the  vices  of  their  parents, 
but  very  rarely  any  of  their  virtues.     If  the  popula- 
tion of  Peru  consisted  of  only  w^iites  and  Indians,  the 
situation  of  the  country  would  be  less  hopeless  than 
it  must  now  appear  to  every  calm  observer.  Destined 
as  they  seem  by  E"ature  herself,  to  exist  on  the  earth 
as  a  race,  for  a  limited  period  only,  the  Indians,  both 
on  the  north  and  south  of  this  vast  continent,  in  spite 
of  all  the  measures  which  humanity  dictates,  are  be- 
coming extinct  with  equal  rapidity,  and  in  a  few  cen- 
turies will  leave  to  the  whites  the  undisputed  posses- 
sion of  the  country.     With  the  negroes  the  case  is 
different ;    they  have  found  in  America   a   country 
which  is  even  more  congenial  to  their  nature  than  the 
land  of  their  origin,  so  that  their  numbers  are  almost 
everywhere  increasing,  in  a  manner  calculated  to  ex- 
cite the  most  serious  alarm.     In  the  same  proportion 
as  they  multiply,   and  the  white  population  is  no 
longer  recruited  by  frequent  supplies  from  the  Span- 
ish peninsula,  the  people  of  color  likewise  become 
more  numerous.    Hated  by  the  dark  mother,  distrust- 
ed by  the  white  father,  they  look  on  the  former  with 
contempt,  on  the  latter  with  an  aversion,  which  cir- 


PAEZ.  477 

cumstances  only  suppress,  but  wliich.  is  insuperable, 
as  it  is  founded  on  a  high  degree  of  innate  pride.    All 
measures  suggested  by  experience  and  policy,  if  not 
to  amalgamate  the  heterogeneous  elements  of  the  pop- 
ulation, yet  to  order  them  so  that  they  might  subsist 
together  without  collision,  and  contribute  in  common 
to  the  preservation  of  the  machine  of  the  state,  have 
proved  fruitless.    *     *     *    The  late  revolutions  have 
made  no  change  in  this  respect.     The  hostility,  the 
hatred,  of  the  many  colored  classes  will  continue  a 
constant  check  to  the  advancement  of  the  state,  full 
of  danger  to  the  prosperity  of  the  individual  citizens, 
and  perhaps  the  ground  of  the  extinction  of  entire 
nations.     The  fate  which  must  sooner  or  later  befall 
the  greater  part  of  tropical  America  which  is  filled 
with   negro   slaves,   which  will    deluge    the  fairest 
provinces  of  Brazil  with  blood,  and  convert  them 
into  a  desert,  where  the  civilized  white  man  will 
never  again  be  able  to  establish  himself,  may  not 
indeed  afflict  Peru  and  Colombia  to  the  same  extent ; 
but  these  countries  will  always  suffer  from  the  evils 
resulting  from  the  presence  of  an  alien  race.    If  such 
a  country  as  the  United  States  feels  itself  checked 
and  impeded  by  its  proportionably  less  predominant 
black  population ;    and  if  there,  where  the  wisdom 
and  power  of  the  Government  are  supported  by  public 
spirit,  remedial  measures  are  sought  in  vain ;   how 
much  greater  must  be  the  evil  in  countries  like  Peru, 
where  the  supine  character  of  the  whites  favors  in- 
cessant revolutions,  where  the  temporary  rulers  are 
not  distinguished  either  for  prudence  or  real  patriot- 
ism, and  the  infinitely  rude  negro  possesses  only 


478  WILD    SCENES    IN  SOUTH    AMERICA. 

brutal  strength,  wliich  makes  liim  doubly  dangerous 
in  such  countries,  where  morality  is  at  so  low  an  ebb  ? 
He  and  his  half-descendant,  the  mulatto,  joined  the 
white  Peruvian,  to  expel  the  Spaniard,  but  would 
soon  turn  against  their  former  allies,  were  they  not 
at  present  kept  back  by  want  of  moral  energy  and 
education.  But  the  negro  and  the  man  of  color,  far 
more  energetic  than  the  white  Creole,  will  in  time 
acquire  knowledge,  and  a  way  of  thinking  that  will 
place  them  on  a  level  with  the  whites,  who  do  not 
advance  in  the  same  proportion,  so  as  to  maintain 
their  superiority."  * 

*  Poepig's  Travels  in  Chili,  Peru,  &c. 


CHAPTER    XXXm. 

THE   EXILE. 

*'  Farewell  to  the  land  where  the  gloom  of  my  glory 
Arose  and  o''ershadowed  the  earth  with  her  name. 
She  abandons  me  now — but  the  page  of  her  story. 
The  brightest  or  blackest,  is  filled  with  my  fame. 
♦       *        *       *        When  liberty  rallies 
Once  more  in  thy  regions,  remember  me  then." 

Btbon,  Napoleo7i's  Farewell. 

The  reception  prepared  for  iis  at  tlie  capital,  by 
the  rulers  of  tlie  republic,  was  in  keeping  with  the 
plan  adopted  by  them  from  the  beginning  to  get  rid 
of  their  captive,  through  a  popular  tumult,  as  the  best 
way  to  cover  their  own  wickedness.  Some  hours 
before  we  approached  Caracas,  Zamora  sent  ahead 
his  emissaries  to  apprise  the  people — as  he  and  his 
associates  were  wont  to  call  the  rabble — of  our  com- 
ing. When  within  the  city  limits,  he  made  straight 
for  the  plaza,  the  rendezvous  of  all  the  loafers  and 
negro  porters  of  the  town,  who,  notwithstanding  the 
training  they  had  received  beforehand,  did  not  dare 
to    assail    the   "  Illustrious    Citizen,"  *  except  with 

*  Illustrious  Citizen.     An  honorary  title  conferred  on  General  Paez 
by  a  special  act  of  Congress. 


480  "^ILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

empty  words  and  angry  faces.  It  was,  however^ 
gratifying  not  to  observe  amidst  the  crowd  a  single 
white  person  on  this  occasion. 

From  the  plaza  to  the  filthy  jail — the  mansion 
prepared  for  the  "  Father  of  his  Country  " — was  but 
a  short  distance  ;  and  I  was  glad  when  at  length  the 
gates  of  that  ominous  abode  were  opened  to  receive 
us,  and  closed  upon  the  vociferous  crowd  outside. 
The  scene  of  replacing  the  heavy  irons — taken  off  the 
feet  of  our  Leader  to  permit  him  to  ride  on  horse- 
back— was  again  gone  through,  and  father  and  son 
were  plunged  into  a  dark  hole,  with  scarcely  any  air 
to  breathe.  The  former,  however,  bore  all  these 
indignities  with  the  calm  resignation  which  never 
abandoned  him  under  the  most  trying  circumstances  ; 
while  the  latter,  taking  courage  from  the  example  set 
him  by  his  parent,  wrote  upon  the  walls  of  his  prison 
cell  the  following  lines  of  Horace : 

Justum  et  tenacem  propositi  virum 
Non  civium  ardor  prava  jubentium, 

Non  vultus  instantis  tjranni, 

Mente  quatit  solida ;  neque  auster, 
Dux  inquieti  turbidus  Adriso, 
Nee  fulminantis  magna  Jovis  manus ; 

Sic  fractus  illabatur  orbis, 

Impavidum  ferient  ruinso. 

TRANSLATION. 

The  man,  in  conscious  virtue  bold, 
Who  dares  his  secret  purpose  hold, 
Unshaken  hears  the  crowd's  tumultuous  cries, 
And  the  impetuous  tyrant's  angry  brow  defies. 


THE  EXILE.  43J 

Let  the  wild  winds,  that  rule  the  seas 
Tempestuous,  all  their  horrors  raise ; 
Let  Jove's  dread  arm  with  thunders  rend  the  spheres, 
Beneath  the  crush  of  worlds  undaunted  he  appears. 

Fearing  for  tlie  security  of  his  prisoner  in  the 
capital,  Monagas  resolved,  after  a  while,  to  confine 
General  Paez  alone  in  the  castle  of  San  Antonio,  at 
Cumana.  A  special  decree  was  issued  at  the  same 
time,  banishing  me  for  ten  years,  thus  separating  me, 
perhaps  forever,  from  the  object  of  my  special  solici- 
tude. I  immediately  addressed  the  so-called  Presi- 
dent of  Venezuela  the  following  petition,  not  doubting 
for  a  moment  that  my  just  request  would  be  granted 
forthwith : 

"The  undersigned,  at  present  confined  in  the 
prison  of  this  city,  represents  to  your  Excellency: 
That  an  order  having  been  issued  by  the  Secretary 
of  State,  for  his  immediate  expulsion  from  the  Terri- 
tory of  Yenezuela,  the  execution  of  said  order  would 
deprive  his  father  of  what  little  aid  and  comfort  he 
can  afford  him. 

"The  undersigned  therefore  petitions  your  Ex- 
cellency to  suspend  the  execution  of  said  order,  until 
the  enactment  pending  against  his  father  be  carried 
into  effect;  and  to  direct  that  the  undersigned  be 
allowed  to  remain  near  his  person,  wherever  he  may 
be  sent,  and  continue  rendering  him  the  little  assist- 
ance in  his  power. 

"Eamon  Paez. 

"  Caracas,  Sept.  Uth,  1849. 
"To  His  Excellency  the  President  of  Venezuela." 
21 


482  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

The  reply  to  tliis  appeal  was  an  order  to  the  jailer 
for  the  immediate  separation  from  my  father,  pending 
the  arrangements  in  progress  for  his  removal  to 
Ciimana,  and  to  confine  me  within  the  premises  al- 
lotted to  common  criminals.  Tims  I  found  myself 
again  in  the  felon's  den,  surrounded  by  beasts  of  a 
worse  description  than  those  I  had  encountered  in 
the  wilds  of  my  native  country.  However,  I  had 
then  the  consolation  of  receiving  visitors — a  privilege 
denied  my  father  with  few  exceptions.  To  the  fair 
ladies  of  Caracas  in  particular,  I  am  indebted  for 
many  hours  of  enjoyment  in  their  charming  society. 
Eegardless  of  the  horrors  peculiar  to  that  kennel  of 
depravity,  and  scorning  the  taunts  and  sneers  of  a 
brutal  soldiery,  the  gentle  women  of  the  capital 
crowded  my  prison  cell  from  early  morning  until 
noon,  bringing  with  them  the  choicest  preserves,  and 
still  sweeter  bouquets  arranged  by  their  own  hands. 
"Words  are  inadequate  to  express  my  gratitude  for  the 
delicate  tokens  of  regard  with  which  my  country- 
women surrounded  me  in  my  affliction.  They  con- 
tributed to  lighten  the  weight  of  the  heavy  irons  with 
which  my  feet  were  again  loaded,  in  revenge — as  I 
supposed — for  these  delicate  tokens  of  sympathy. 

As  to  my  honored  father,  he  was  soon  after  carried 
off  to  Cumana,  and  thrown  into  the  suffocating  dun- 
geons of  the  fort,  where  he  was  treated  with  the  ut- 
most rigor. 

The  horrors  of  his  captivity  have  been  set  forth 
in  the  following  protest,*  addressed  by  him  to  his 

*  The  document — printed  in  letters  of  gold  on  crimson  velvet — ^was 


THE  EXILE.  453 

savage  tormentor,  and  whicli  now  forms  the  brightest 
page  of  his  eventful  life. 

"  To  His  Excellency  General  Jose  Tadeo  Monagas^  Chief  of  the  present 
Administration  of  the  Republic :  ^ 

"  SiE  : — Imprisoned  in  this  fortress,  and  oppressed 
by  the  executors  of  your  most  severe  orders,  I  am, , 
notwithstanding,  still  the  same  General-in-Chief  of  the 
armies  of  Colombia  and  Yenezuela,  and  still  the  same 
who  received  from  the  Congress  of  our  country,  as 
recompense  for  his  services,  the  title  of  Illustrious 
Citizen. 

"  My  duty  toward  my  country — the  calls  of  the 
people — compelled  me  to  take  up  arms  in  February, 
1848.  It  was  then  my  opinion,  as  it  is  now,  that 
the  assassination  of  the  representatives  of  the  people, 
perpetrated  on  the  24:th  of  January,  of  that  year, 
was  unjustifiable.  My  political  creed  is  set  forth  in 
the  documents  which  I  published  since  that  period. 

"  Persuaded  that  I  have  done  all  that  my  public 
duties  required,  and  desirous  of  putting  an  end  to  the 
war  which  was  devastating  the  country,  I  approved  the 
compact  of  the  15th  of  last  August,  a  compact  entered 
into,  agreeably  to  my  instructions,  between  the  Chief 
of  my  General  Staff  and  General  Jose  Laurencio  Silva, 
the  Chief  of  your  army.  What  has  since  transpired 
you  well  know.  You  disapproved  that  compact 
which  caused  me  to  lay  down  my  arms  in  perfect 
confidence ;  you  seized  upon  the  person  of  myself 
and  of  my  companions  in  arms ;  and  when  we  were 

extensively  circulated  throughout  the  republic,  and  handsomely  framed 
to  match  the  "  Declaration  of  Independence." 


^84  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

found  unarmed,  tlie  most  liorrible  acts  of  revenge 
were  perpetrated  upon  us.  Let  our  entry  into  Va- 
lencia, on  the  afternoon  of  the  18th  of  August,  bear 
eloquent  testimony  of  my  assertion.  The  Governor, 
Joaquin  Ilerrera,  glutted  in  his  work  of  revenge, 
crowned  it  by  putting  heavy  irons  upon  me  and 
several  of  my  companions.  I  remember  those  days  of 
horror  with  a  noble  pride.  The  passions  of  the  times 
cannot  deprive  me  of  the  consideration  which  my  ser- 
vices to  the  republic  have  deserved.  I  have  trodden, 
and  still  continue  to  tread,  the  path  travelled  by  emi- 
nent men,  whom  an  impartial  and  enlightened  world 
acknowledges  as  the  most  zealous  defenders  of  the 
rights  of  humanity  ;  as  the  real  friends  of  that  justice 
and  morality  which  ought  to  preside  over  the  desti- 
nies of  nations ;  as  the  most  perfect  friends  of  the 
people,  for  whose  welfare  every  good  government 
should  labor  incessantly. 

"  The  compact  of  the  15th  of  August,  signed  at 
Macapo-Abajo  or  Monagas,  has  been  rejected  by  you. 
This,  however,  cannot  be  sufficient  to  quiet  your 
conscience.  The  fact  is  before  an  enlightened  world. 
At  present  I  can  only  protest,  as  I  do  protest,  in 
the  most  unqualified  manner,  against  the  violation  of 
th'at  compact. 

"  I  have  been  led  from  prison  to  prison,  until  at  last 
I  am  brought  to  this  fortress,  where  it  seems  I  am  to 
drain  the  cup  of  my  sufferings.  I  hope,  however, 
that  Divine  Providence  will  not  deprive  me  of  the 
strength  with  which  I  have  been  favored  up  to  this 
time,  to  enable  me  to  resist  so  many  outrages. 

"  Confined  to  a  very  narrow  apartment,  without 


THE  EXILE.  4g5 

being  allowed  the  least  exercise — with  a  sentinel 
always  in  sight — with  an  officer  always  by  my  side 
at  the  hours  of  taking  food — denied  the  privilege  of 
communicating  with  my  family  (for  I  am  not  per- 
mitted to  write  nor  to  receive  letters  from  them) — de- 
prived finally  of  the  comforts  which  the  visits  of 
some  of  my  fellow  citizens  offered  me,  it  seems  that 
the  termination  of  my  life  is  eagerly  sought. 

"  Humanity  and  civilization  must  raise  their  pow- 
erful voices  against  such  cruel  treatment.  Without 
being  a  prisoner  of  war,  I  find  myself  imprisoned.  I 
submit  to  force,  and  I  know  well  what  may  be  my 
fate ;  but  I  ought  not  to  pass  over,  in  silence,  acts 
which  degrade  and  vilify  my  country.  I  ought  to 
protest,  and  do  protest,  against  such  extraordinary 
and  grievous  outrages. 

"  After  having,  by  a  decree,  remitted  the  judicial 
trial  to  which  you  supposed  I  was  liable,  by  what 
right  am  I  detained  a  prisoner  and  ill-treated,  as  I  am  ? 
Though  my  expulsion  has  been  decreed,  I  am  detained 
with  most  glaring  injustice — an  injustice  which  is 
heightened  by  the  means  employed  to  keep  me  con- 
fined, condemned  to  the  horrid  punishment  of  silence 
and  solitude.  Is,  perchance,  the  safe  custody  of  one 
man  incompatible  with  what  is  due  to  the  dignity 
of  man?  Can  I  not  be  considered  safely  secured, 
without  being  tormented  ?  Head,  sir,  the  pages  of 
history,  and  you  will  learn  how  persons  of  my  char- 
acter have  been  treated  in  similar  cases. 

"I  have,  sir,  no  favor  to  ask  of  you,  no  grace  to 
implore.  My  sole  object,  1  have  already  said,  is  to 
protest  against  the  horrors  that  I  am  made  to  endure. 


486  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

You  may  continue  to  act  as  may  seem  best  to  you  ; 
but  I  hope  by  this  protest  to  furnish  one  more  proof 
of  how  much  I  esteem  my  personal  dignity,  and  of 
my  readiness  to  discharge  the  duties  which  I  owe  to 
the  republic  over  whose  destinies  I  have  presided. 

"  JosE  A.  Paez. 

"  Cumand,  in  the  Fortress  of  San  Antonio,  6th  February,  1850." 

The  anger  of  the  Tyrant  on  reading  this  protest 
may  be  easily  imagined.  From  that  moment  the 
most  stringent  measures  were  taken  to  deprive  his 
victim  of  life  also,  by  a  barbarous  and  slow  process. 
The  only  door  and  the  simple  window  of  "  his  narrow 
apartment "  were  closed  night  and  day ;  and  this  in 
the  ardent  climate  of  Cumana,  where  the  thermometer 
is  seldom  below  90°.  So  oppressed  was  he  at  times 
by  the  closeness  of  his  cell,  that  he  had  to  lie  down 
near  the  sill  of  the  door,  to  inhale  what  little  fresh 
aii^  came  through.  How  different  the  usage  expe- 
rienced by  Monagas  at  the  hands  of  General  Paez, 
when  the  latter  had  him  in  his  power — Monagas 
having  twice  before  rebelled  against  the  fundamen- 
tal law  of  the  republic !  On  both  occasions,  Paez 
not  only  pardoned  him,  but  reinstated  the  unruly 
chieftain  in  his  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ;  even 
exerting  his  influence,  at  a  later  period,  in  securing 
his  elevation  to  the  Presidency,  which  had  been  ten- 
dered to  and  declined  by  Paez. 

At  length  his  powerful  constitution  gave  way 
under  this  iniquitous  treatment,  and  a  rush  of  blood 
to  the  head  ensued,  which  would  doubtless  have  ter- 
minated fatally,  but  for  the  prompt  assistance  of  two 


THE  EXILE.  487 

skilful  physicians  in  tlie  place.  The  people  of 
Cumana,  aroused  to  a  sense  of  duty  and  just  indigna- 
tion, resolved  to  put  a  stop  to  this  disgraceful  perse- 
cution. Men,  women,  and  children  rebelled  against 
the  minions  of  the  despot,  threatening  the  garrison 
with  destruction,  if  their  victim  was  not  allowed  to 
embark  for  foreign  parts.  Congress,  then  assembled 
at  Caracas — although  exclusively  devoted  to  the 
interest  of  Monagas — also  urged  the  matter,  and  the 
latter  was  compelled  to  issue  an  order  to  that  effect, 
detailing  the  steamer  Libertador  for  that  purpose. 
Still,  when  the  vessel  arrived  at  Cumana  short  of 
fuel — as  was  purposely  designed  by  the  Govern- 
ment— and  the  captain  demanded  it  from  the  author- 
ities there,  he  was  referred  to  the  Governor  of  Barce- 
lona. Thither  the  steamer  went  to  secure  it ;  but, 
although  there  was  abundance  of  coal  at  the  place, 
the  brother  of  Monagas,  military  commander  of  the 
province,  under  frivolous  excuses  prevented  its  ship- 
ment. Suspecting  something  wrong,  the  captain, 
who,  although  in  the  service  of  the  Tyrant,  was  a 
conscientious  individual,  immediately  returned  to 
Cumana,  and  laying  the  case  before  the  people, 
prompt  measures  were  taken  to  enable  the  steamer 
to  proceed  on  her  voyage  without  delay.  Every 
thing  combustible  was  readily  contributed  by  the 
generous  inhabitants,  who  gave  up,  not  only  the  ship 
timber  in  the  harbor,  but  even  the  doors  and  windows 
of  their  houses.  It  was  rumored  at  the  time,  that  a 
base  plot  to  drown  the  General  had  been  concocted 
between  Monagas  and  an  old  French  pirate.  Captain 
Bernard,  who  had  command  of  a  sailing  war-vessel ;  a 


488  ^^"^^   SCENES   IN   SOUTH   AMERICA. 

suspicion  which,  was  strengthened,  shortly  after  the 
departure  of  the  steamer,  by  the  arrival  of  said  in- 
dividual at  Cumana,  with  orders  to  take  the  captive 
on  board  his  vessel ;  but  it  was  too  late. 

On  the  24:th  of  May,  1850,  "  the  Martyr  of  San 
Antonio"  left  his  prison,  followed  by  an  immense 
concourse  of  people,  who  accompanied  him  in  a  sort 
of  triumphal  procession  to  the  steamer  Libertador, 
which  conveyed  him  afterward  to  St.  Thomas. 
There  I  joined  my  father  in  time  to  participate  in 
the  hospitalities  extended  to  him  by  the  liberal  in- 
habitants of  that  wealthy  island  ;  and  a  vessel  offer- 
ing soon  after  for  Philadelphia,  we  took  our  depart- 
ure for 

"  The  land  of  the  free  and  the  home  of  the  brave ; " 

where  we  arrived  safely  on  the  26th  of  July,  after 
a  pleasant  voyage  of  eleven  days.  The  city  of 
"brotherly  love,"  through  her  Common  Council, 
hastened  to  offer  the  Yenezuelan  exile  the  freedom  of 
her  soil ;  but  New  York  having  beforehand  sent  a 
commission  of  gentlemen  to  await  his  arrival  and 
tender  him  a  public  reception,  we  left  the  next  day 
for  the  Empire  City,  stopping  at  Staten  Island  until 
the  2d  of  August,  the  day  fixed  for  the  reception. 

Here,  patient  reader,  I  would  like  to  entertain  you 
with  a  full  description  of  the  splendid  reception  and 
boundless  hospitalities  tendered  to  our  Leader  by  the 
people  of  the  United  States,  and  more  especially  of 
that  by  the  city  of  N'ew  York,  the  place  which  he  had 
chosen  for  his  future  residence ;  but  I  fear  I  have 
already  taxed  your  time  and  patience  too  much  with 


THE  EXILE.  489 

the  recital  of  our  o^vn  troubles,  while  an  account  of 
that  ovation  and  the  subsequent  manifestations  of  sym- 
pathy from  the  people  of  the  Great  Republic  would — 
to  do  it  full  justice — require  a  separate  volume.  Here 
we  found  at  length  ample  repose  and  security,  "  under 
the  shade" — to  use  our  Leader's  quaint  phrase — "  of 
the  northern  pines,"  and  enjoyed  for  ten  years  every 
social  and  political  privilege,  under  a  free  and  en- 
lightened government,  until  subsequent  changes  in 
the  affairs  of  Yenezuela  recalled  us  from  exile  and 
forced  our  Leader  to  give  up  his  humble  abode  in 
!N"ew  York  for  the  agitated  soil  of  South  America. 

Being  gone  on  a  visit  to  Central  America,  I  had 
almost  forgotten  Monagas  and  his  arbitrary  rule,  when 
I  read  one  day  in  the  "  J^ew  York  Herald,"  away 
amidst  the  wilds  of  Costa  Rica,  that  a  great  revolu- 
tion had  occuiTcd  in  Yenezuela,  and  that  Monagas  was 
besieged  in  his  own  house  in  Caracas.  On  my  return 
to  the  United  States,  I  was  gratified  to  find  in  JS'ew 
York  a  number  of  Commissioners  despatched  by  the 
Provisional  Government  of  Yenezuela,  to  invite  Gen- 
eral Paez  back  to  his  liberated  country,  and  to  express 
to  him  the  unanimous  wish  of  the  people  for  his  imme- 
diate return ;  a  desire  which  he  hastened  to  comply 
with,  but  which  nearly  cost  him  his  life.  The  military 
authorities  of  ^ew  York  having  tendered  him  a 
grand  review  of  all  their  corps,  previous  to  his 
departure,  he  was  riding  toward  the  parade  grounds, 
in  company  with  Governor  King  and  a  numerous 
staff',  when  his  horse  fell  three  times  under  him  on  the 
slippery  pavement  of  Broadway,  the  animal's  weight 
crushing  his  foot  in  the  most  frightful  manner ;  and 
21* 


490  '^ILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

althougli  lie  was  immediately  surromided  with  tlie 
best  surgical  skill  in  the  city,  his  life  was  despaired 
of  for  a  time,  unless  his  powerful  constitution  should 
come  to  his  rescue,  which  happily  took  place.  His 
presence  in  Yenezuela  being  of  the  utmost  importance 
at  the  time,  he  was  removed,  while  still  suffering 
from  his  severe  accident,  to  one  of  the  steamers  placed 
at  his  disposal  by  the  Government  of  the  United 
States — a  compliment  rarely  paid  to  foreigners,  and 
consequently  highly  appreciated  by  us  all.  A  bril- 
liant retinue,  composed  principally  of  the  Yenezuelan 
Commissioners,  His  Honor  the  Mayor  of  New  York, 
(Daniel  F.  Tieman  Esq.,)  and  members  of  the  Com- 
mon Council,  with  delegations  from  the  militia  of  the 
city  and  county  of  'New  York,  accompanied  the  am- 
bulance in  which  he  was  conveyed,  and  escorted  by 
a  detachment  of  the  City  Horse  Guards,  on  board 
one  of  the  steamers. 

The  General,  with  the  Commissioners,  his  private 
secretary,  and  several  other  persons  of  his  retinue, 
and  the  lamented  Colonel  Sandford,  son  of  the  Major- 
General  commanding  the  militia  of  the  city,  em- 
barked on  board  the  Wyandotte ;  the  rest  of  the 
suite,  including  my  friend  E.  L.  Molineux,  Esq.,  of  New 
York,  myself  and  brother,  on  board  the  Mohawk ;  and 
on  the  25tli  of  November,  1858,  we  bade  adieu  to  the 
metropolis  of  the  New  World,  amid  the  salvos  of 
artillery,  and  good  wishes  of  the  kind-hearted  inhabi- 
tants.   May  peace  and  prosperity  ever  be  with  them ! 

I  wish,  for  the  sake  of  the  nation's  credit,  that 
my  narrative  could  end  here,  instead  of  being  com- 
pelled to  record,  further  on,  the  circumstances  of  our 


THE  EXILE.  491 

second  exodus  from  the  country  which  so  earnestly 
solicited  the  recall  of  General  Paez  from  exile.  But 
let  us  not  anticipate  unpleasant  events ;  they  will 
be  recounted  in  their  place.  The  city  of  Cumana, 
which  so  nobly  came  to  his  rescue  in  the  hour  of  his 
peril,  first  engaged  our  Leader's  attention,  as  the  most 
entitled  to  receive  his  warm  acknowledgments  of 
gratitude  for  the  bold  stand  she  took  against  his  cruel 
tormentors.  Tliither  the  steamers  directed  their  course 
at  his  special  request ;  but  a  dense  fog  prevailing  at 
the  time  of  leaving  the  harbor,  we  lost  sight  of  each 
other,  until  our  arrival  at  Cumana — a  circumstance 
we  of  the  Mohawk  lamented  exceedingly,  on  account 
of  the  precarious  condition  of  our  Leader's  health. 
We  also  were  too  late  to  participate  in  his  reception 
by  the  generous  Cumanese ;  our  steamer — owing  to 
some  derangement  in  her  machinery — arriving  in 
port  a  week  after. 

The  limits  of  this  chapter  do  not  permit  lengthy 
descriptions  of  the  several  ovations  and  enthusiastic 
receptions  which  everywhere  greeted  the  Martyr  of 
San  Antonio  on  his  return  from  exile :  they  were  as 
spontaneous  and  cordial,  to  all  appearances,  as  the 
conduct  of  the  provisional  authorities  was  cold 
and  reserved  toward  the  General.  The  "  miserable 
Castro," — chief  of  the  Provisional  Government — with 
an  eye  on  the  chair  of  state  left  vacant  by  the  down- 
fall of  Monagas,  could  not  support  these  public  mani- 
festations of  respect  paid  to  one  regarded  by  him  as 
a  dangerous  rival,  and  against  whom  he  had  conspired 
all  his  life  :  therefore  he  lost  now  no  opportunity  to 
annoy  him  in  every  possible  manner,  with  the  object 


492  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

of  compelling  him  to  abandon  the  country — which 
he  did,  later,  of  his  own  accord ;  unfortunately  not 
Boon  enough  to  spare  us  the  affliction  occasioned  by  the 
death  of  our  estimable  guest,  Colonel  Sandford,  who, 
notwithstanding  the  assiduous  efforts  of  the  whole 
community  to  save  his  life,  fell  a  victim  at  Yalencia 
to  that  most  fearful  pestilence  of  the  equinoctial 
regions,  the  vomito.  Our  Leader's  grief  was  extreme 
on  this  occasion,  appreciating,  as  we  all  did,  the 
motives  which  prompted  that  amiable  young  officer 
to  accompany  him  on  his  return  home. 

When  sufficiently  recovered  from  his  late  accident 
to  bear  the  fatigues  of  a  reception  at  the  capital,  the 
General  took  his  departure  for  Caracas,  glad  to  quit 
the  scene  of  his  young  friend's  lamentable  demise. 
But  the  obnoxious  Castro  had  preceded  him  there 
already  with  the  train  of  Government ;  and  although 
he  was  compelled  by  the  force  of  public  opinion  to 
take  a  part  in  the  reception,  the  overwhelming  dis- 
play of  popular  favor  which  characterized  that  ova- 
tion, only  contributed  to  make  him  more  envious, 
and,  if  possible,  more  ungracious  toward  the  object 
of  his  rancor.  To  show  my  readers  to  wliat  extent 
these  petty  jealousies  are  often  carried,  I  will  state 
that,  when  applied  to  for  permission  to  emj^loy  the 
military  bands  of  music  in  the  procession,  Castro 
refused  flatly,  excusing  himself  with  averring  that 
this  was  altogether  a  civil  affair.  The  same  bands 
were  soon  after  employed,  by  Castro's  orders,  at  the 
release  of  some  negro  politicians  confined  in  the  jail 
of  Caracas  by  the  civil  authorities.  Here  again  the 
black  star  of  the  republic  was  permitted — for  political 


THE  EXILE.  4.93 

reasons — to  cast  its  lurid  glimmer  over  the  already 
clouded  atmosphere  enveloping  the  capital.  The 
adherents  of  Monagas,  profiting  by  the  dissensions 
brought  about  by  Castro  among  the  contending 
factions,  commenced  to  muster  their  forces  in  various 
parts  of  the  country ;  and  although  they  were  kept 
at  bay  for  a  time,  it  was  plain  enough  that,  unless 
vigorous  measures  were  adopted  for  their  extermina- 
tion, they  would  eventually  become  a  serious  annoy- 
ance to  the  Government. 

Compelled  by  circumstances  to  be  a  mere  spec- 
tator in  the  political  farce  of  changing  a  tyrannical 
ruler  for  an  imbecile  one,  and  in  danger  at  any 
moment  of  being  assailed  by  the  latter,  General  Paez 
could  no  longer  be  of  any  service  to  the  country  that 
recalled  him  from  exile :  he  therefore  solicited  and 
obtained  his  passport  for  the  United  States,  an- 
nouncing his  immediate  departure  to  the  people 
through  a  farewell  address  ending  with  this  earnest 
appeal  to  their  patriotism  : 

t  "  Fellow-citizens  !  Listen  once  more  to  the  prayer 
of  my  heart :  continue  no  longer  the  course  of  your 
destruction  :  ravage  not  the  beautiful  country  which 
Providence  has  granted  you  :  let  your  rulers  be  slaves 
to  the  Constitution  and  laws  of  the  republic  :  let  the 
people  make  a  wise  exercise  of  their  precious  rights  : 
let  those  bloody  revolutions,  the  ignominy  of  Spanish 
America,  forever  cease  on  our  soil.  Tliis  is  all  you 
require  to  reappear  before  the  world  as  a  wise  and 
prosperous  people  :  such  would  be  the  greatest  recom- 
pense you  could  accord  me — the  only  one  I  would 


494:  WILD   SCENES   IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

exact  from  you  in  return  for  the  new  expatriation  I 
impose  upon  myself."        ^ 

But  instead  of  permitting  him  to  depart  in  peace, 
the  provisional  despot  they  had  placed  at  the  head 
of  the  Government,  issued  an  order  to  arrest  him  at 
La  Guaira  before  he  should  embark.  'No  one  was 
foolhardy  enough,  ho\vever,  to  execute  it,  and  he 
departed  for  the  United  States  on  the  anniversary 
of  her  independence.  Before  the  month  was  over, 
the  framer  of  that  order  found  himself  deposed  and  a 
prisoner  in  the  Government  palace.  His  successor,  Yice- 
President  Tovar,  although  a  man  of  higher  intellect 
and  position  in  society,  with  the  characteristic  selfish- 
ness that  marks  the  policy  of  most  rulers  in  South 
America,  studiously  deferred  recalling  General  Paez 
until  after  the  regular  elections,  that  placed  him  in 
the  presidency,  contenting  himself  in  the  meantime 
with  addressing  the  General  a  friendly  letter,  which 
the  latter  scarcely  regarded  in  the  light  of  a  formal 
invitation  to  return.  It  was  probably  in  allusion  to  this 
document  that  "  El  Constitucional "  of  Caracas — the 
organ  of  the  conservative  element  in  Yenezuela — issued 
the  following  complimentary  notice,  which  I  give  here 
in  full,  as  it  embodies  the  main  facts  of  our  Leader's 
public  career : 

"  With  grateful  satisfaction  we  have  learned  that 
His  Excellency  the  Yice-President  of  the  Republic 
has  written  to  our  Washington,  calling  him  to  the 
bosom  of  that  country  which  he  liberated  with  his 
sword,  elevating  her  to  the  rank  of  a  nation — giving 
her  a  constitution  and  laws — creating  for  her  a 
treasure,  and  acquiring  for  her  a  credit,  both  at  home 


THE  EXILE.  495 

and  abroad,  which  placed  her  in  the  van  of  the  South 
American  republics.  How  many  noble  sensations, 
how  many  glorious  recollections,  and  how  many 
debts  of  national  gratitude  crowd  on  the  imagination 
on  hearing  the  name  of  Paez,  the  living  monument 
of  Yenezuelan  glory ! 

"  The  preservation  of  Paez  is  one  of  those  great  gifts 
for  which  Venezuela  is  indebted  to  God,  who  so  visibly 
protects  her.  Few  nations,  very  few,  behold  in  one 
man  alone  the  embodiment  of  their  history. 

"  Paez  the  young  man,  consecrated  all  the  fires  of 
his  youth  to  the  struggle  for  his  country's  independ- 
ence. From  a  simple  soldier  on  the  borders  of  the 
Arauca,  he  went  from  victory  to  victory,  and  from 
rank  to  rank,  to  the  plains  of  Carabobo.  There, 
amid  the  smoke  of  battle,  he  received  from  Bolivar 
the  highest  military  grade  to  which  that  splendid  and 
decisive  triumph  entitled  him. 

"  Paez  the  General,  at  the  age  of  reflection,  full  of 
prestige  and  glory,  employed  all  his  advantages  in 
nationalizing  his  country.  From  a  Bogotan  province 
or  colony,  he  raised  her  to  the  rank  of  a  nation.  He 
freed  her  from  military  despotism,  gave  her  a  free 
constitution,  a  civil  government,  wise  laws,  and  sub- 
dued the  Monagas,  the  only  persons  who  refused 
obedience. 

"  Paez  the  President,  gave  to  his  military  compan- 
ions an  example  of  respectful  submission  to  the  laws. 
Devoted  to  the  interests  of  his  country,  he  gave  her 
institutions  of  intellectual  and  moral  progress,  created 
for  her  a  revenue,  stimulated  her  industry  and  com- 
merce, acquired  credit  for  her  at  home  and  abroad, 


496  WILD    SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

and  raised  her  to  the  first  rank  among  the  South 
American  republics. 

"  Paez,  the  first  civil  and  military  character  of  his 
country,  descended  from  the  presidential  chair  that 
he  might  occupy  himself  as  a  simple  citizen,  and  re- 
tired to  a  country  life.  The  Monagas  rose  against 
that  proof  of  civil  power.  Paez  abandoned  his  flocks, 
and  seized  once  more  his  sword  to  repress  that  attempt. 
Tlie  Monagas  being  conquered,  he  pardoned  them, 
and  replaced  in  the  presidential  chair  the  wise  citizen 
whom  the  nation  had  chosen.  This  act  procured  for 
Paez  the  golden  sword  and  the  title  of  Illustrious 
Citizen,  which  the  Congress  of  his  country  bestowed 
upon  him. 

"  Paez,  a  second  time  President,  gave  an  impetus 
to  the  advancement  of  Yenezuela,  and  delivered  her 
to  his  successor,  peaceful,  prosperous,  and  admired  by 
all  nations,  all  her  pledges  observed,  and  a  treasury 
overflowing  with  millions  of  surplus.  "When,  when 
shall  we  see  her  again  in  so  happy  a  condition  ?  So 
many  services  earned  for  him  the  admiration  of  all 
nations,  and  the  honors  and  decorations  of  the  kings 
of  England,  France,  and  Sweden."^ 

*  William  the  Fourth  of  England,  sent  to  General  Paez,  in  1837,  a 
magniiBcent  sword,  on  which  were  inscribed  the  following  words : — "  The 
gift  of  King  William  the  Fourth  to  General  Paez,  as  a  mark  of  esteem 
for  liis  character,  and  for  the  disinterested  patriotism  which  has  distin- 
guished his  gallant  and  victorious  career.     183Y." 

The  gift  was  presented  by  the  British  Minister  in  Venezuela,  Sir 
Robert  Ker  Porter,  accompanied  by  an  official  note  expressive  of  the 
high  opinion  entertained  by  his  sovereign  for  the  character  and  services 
of  General  Paez. 

In  1848,  the  Citizen  King  of  the  French,  Louis  Philippe,  named  Gen- 


THE  EXILE.  4.9 'jr 

"  Paez,  a  second  time  in  the  retirement  of  private 
life,  was  astounded  at  the  horrible  announcement  that 
Monagas  had  murdered  the  representatives  of  his 
country  in  the  very  sanctuary  of  the  legislative 
power.  Notwithstanding  the  weight  of  years,  he  did 
not  hesitate  to  take  up  arms  in  order  to  chastise  that 
unheard-of  crime.  Fortune  was  not  with  him  in  that 
holy  cause.  Reduced  to  the  miseries  of  a  dungeon 
in  the  castle  of  San  Antonio,  and  loaded  with  chains, 
he  did  not  cease,  nevertheless,  to  protest  daily  against 
the  atrocity  of  the  crime,  in  which  the  people,  in  the 
persons  of  their  representatives,  were  assassinated,  and 
in  which,  by  violating  the  immunity  of  the  national 
representation,  the  basis  of  the  republican  system  was 
threatened. 

"  Paez,  at  liberty,  was  hailed  by  enlightened  people 
as  a  martyr  of  civilization  and  public  freedom,  and 
received  in  the  midst  of  the  apotheosis  prepared  for 
him  by  the  republic  of  Washington.  In  'the  bosom 
of  the  freest  people  on  earth  he  received  great  honors 
and  distinguished  considerations,  when,  on  the  fall 
of  his  country's  tyrant,  whom  a  simultaneous  effort 
of  the  people  had  driven  from  his  blood-stained  seat, 
he  was  called  by  the  supreme  power,  and  received 
with  transports  of  enthusiasm  in  the  arms  of  all  his 

eral  Paez  "  Grand  Officer  of  the  Legion  of  Honor,"  and  sent  him  the 
cross  and  cordon,  the  insignia  appertaining  to  that  high  rank  in  the  Le- 
gion. 

In  1845,  Oscar  the  First,  King  of  Sweden  and  Norway,  the  son  of 
the  celebrated  Marshal  Bemadotte,  sent  to  General  Paez  the  grand  cross 
and  insignia  of  the  Military  Order  of  the  Sword,  with  a  communication 
couched  in  terms  expressive  of  his  high  regard  and  esteem  for  the  Gen- 
era,!. 


498  WILD   SCENES   IN   SOUTH  AMERICA. 

fellow-citizens,  without  distinction  of  party,  sex,  or 
age. 

"  Paez,  in   Caracas,  had  no  time  to  receive  the 
demonstrations   of  gratitude  and   admiration  which 
the  people  in  mass,  and  families  and  citizens  in  pri- 
vate, lavished  upon  him.     The  heroic  Cumana,  whose 
resolution  to  save  him  from  captivity  gave  him  an 
exile's  liberty,  was  the  first  which  begged  the  privi- 
lege of  bestowing,  like  a  free  people,  honors  on  him, 
whom,  a  captive,  she  had  before  liberated.     So  many 
national   kindnesses   drew  upon  him    the  envy   of 
Castro,  who  aspired  to  the  presidency,  and  saw  in  all 
these  manifestations  a  rival  that  made  him  tremble  ; 
the  more  so,  since  that  person's  disregard  for  every 
law  was  notorious. 

"  Paez,  persecuted  by  the  miserable  Castro,  looked 
upon  this  matter  with  the  scorn  which  a  venomous 
reptile  causes  in  a  giant ;  but,  doubtless,  the  idea  of 
seeing  friends,  to  whose  loyalty  he  would  have  sworn, 
and  for  whom  he  would  have  given  his  life — friends 
whom  formerly  he  had  loaded  with  distinctions,  honors, 
and  considerations — indifferent  to,  or  participators  in 
this  infamous  persecution,  must  have  embittered  his 
hours.  The  idea  rent  the  heart  of  Paez.  In  the 
silence  of  his  profound  grief,  no  complaint  was  ever 
heard  against  them.  Scarcely  even  did  he  say  with 
Ovid : 

Donee  eris  felix,  multos  numerabis  amicos ; 
Tempora  si  fuerint  nubila,  solas  eris. 

In  hours  of  sunshine  friends  shall  countless  be ; 
Let  clouds  o'ercast,  and  lo  I  they  fly  from  thee. 

"  Persecuted  by  the  Government  and  loved  by  the 


THE  EXILE.  ^'  499 

people,  lie  saw  that  persecution  and  love  mutual- 
ly increased  each  other,  and  nourished  political 
passions.  The  very  refusal  of  the  Government  to  re- 
ceive him  with  the  honors  of  his  rank,  increased 
much,  very  much,  the  enthusiasm  of  the  reception 
which  the  people  of  Caracas  and  other  places  gave 
him.  Finally,  not  to  be  an  object  of  discord  between 
the  people  and  the  Government,  he  determined  to  ex- 
patriate himself  of  his  own  accord,  and  left  Caracas 
amidst  the  lamentations  of  his  family  and  friends, 
and  with  the  sympathies  of  the  entire  population. 

Cam  repeto  noctem  qua  tot  mihi  cara  reliqui, 
Labitur  ex  oculis  nunc  quoque  lacryma  meis. 

When  in  the  night  I  ask  me  why  I've  left 

So  many  faces  dear  to  me,  a  tear 
From  out  my  bosom,  by  my  sorrow  cleft, 

"Will  start  and,  welling  to  my  eye,  appear. 

"  Tlie  envy  of  Castro  and  of  his  myrmidons  was 
excited  even  at  the  hospitable  repose  which  that  ven- 
erable man  was  seeking  in  a  foreign  land.  Already 
embarked,  the  order  came  to  detain  him,  and  a  Gov- 
ernment vessel  started  in  pursuit.  The  torments 
which  awaited  him  are  no  secret  now.  Fortunately 
he  could  not  be  overtaken.  His  friends  notified  him, 
a  few  minutes  previously,  of  the  hellish  intentions 
of  Governor  Castro.  Supported  in  the  arms  of  an 
oligarchist  and  a  liberal,  of  a  Creole  and  a  foreigner, 
of  a  patriot  general  and  a  Spaniard — in  the  arms,  in 
fine,  of  two  men,  in  whom  was  represented,  for  the 
occasion,  the  fusion  of  all  the  opposite  and  conflicting 
political  feelings  in  love  for  the  hero,  he  was  con- 


600  ^WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

ducted  without  the  loss  of  a  moment  to  the  Mole,  in 
the  midst  of  an  immense  crowd,  who  showed  by  word 
and  action  the  feeling  which  the  great  citizen's  de- 
parture, and  the  vile  persecution  to  which  he  was 
subjected,  produced. 

"  We  accompanied  the  hero  to  the  act  of  embarka- 
tion. We  witnessed  the  efforts  of  the  Government 
to  seize  him,  and  the  public  indignation  which  that 
act  of  infamous  persecution  produced  in  the  entire 
population  of  La  Guaira.  We  are  certain  that,  if  they 
had  succeeded  in  bringing  him  back,  the  people  would 
willingly  have  shed  their  blood  to  rescue  him  from 
the  fangs  of  the  tigers  who  thirsted  to  devour  him. 
Providence,  which  never  is  tardy  in  chastising  the 
wicked,  did  not  permit  a  month  to  pass  over  before 
Castro  found  himself  in  the  prison  he  had  prepared 
for  Paez,  and  the  people  have  not  ceased  to  invoke 
his  presence  as  the  great  friend  of  all  Yenezuelans,  and 
have  called  on  him  to  bring  his  country  the  olive  of 
peace. 

"  Paez,  in  his  second  exile,  returned  to  receive  from 
the  sons  of  Washington  all  the  attentions  and  public 
demonstrations  which  the  consistent  defender  of  pop- 
ular liberty  and  the  high  priest  of  the  republican 
system  deserved. 

'*  In  our  attempt  to  glance  at  the  immense  volume 
of  Paez's  glory,  we  have  scarcely  been  able  to  touch 
some  prominent  points.  It  is  a  work  of  much  time,  of 
laborious  research,  and  much  more  intelligence. 

"  Now  that  Venezuela  has  conquered  "  [for  a  time] 
"  the  rebellion  against  her  institutions,  and  the  legiti-. 
macy  of  her  Government  has  shown  the  omnipotence 


THE  EXILE. 


501 


of  her  power,  the  Yice-President  turns  his  eyes  to  the 
founder  of  our  republic,  to  call  him  to  her  bosom,  that 
he  may  contribute,  with  the  great  power  of  his  vast 
sympathies,  and  with  the  wisdom  of  his  counsels,  to 
the  re-establisment  of  peace  and  harmony  amongst 
all  Venezuelans. 

"  We  congratulate  Mr.  Tovar  on  such  a  very  just 
and  proper  measure,  and  hope  that  our  Congress,  imi- 
tating the  great  Convention  which  yielded  the  mag- 
nanimity of  this  act  to  the  executive  power  alone,  may 
grant  an  honorable  recall  to  the  gi'eat  citizen,  to 
whom  we  owe  independence,  nationality,  and  civil 
power.  There  will  not  be  even  one  member  of  Con- 
gress who  will  not  glory  in  aiding  with  his  vote  an 
act  which  justice,  gratitude,  national  dignity,  and  the 
pride  of  the  Yenezuelan  name  demand. 

*'  Caeacas,  J/ay  3,  1859. 


In  conclusion,  I  will  add  that,  notwithstanding  the 
state  of  anarchy  then  reigning  in  the  country,  and 
the  almost  unanimous  wish  of  the  contending 
parties  to  submit  to  the  arbitrament  of  General 
Paez,  the  guardians  of  public  safety  did  not  see  fit 
to  recall  him  officially/  until  it  was  too  late  for  him 
to  be  of  much  service.  The  fear  of  strengthening  his 
popularity — should  he  succeed  in  settling  the  pend- 
ing difficulties — appears  to  have  had  more  weight 
with  them  than  the  paramount  exigency  of  averting 
a  war  of  castes.  Well  has  Darwin  said,  in  his  account 
of  Buenos  Ayres  :  "  That  country  will  have  to  learn, 
like  every  other  South  American  State,  that  a  repub- 


502  WILD  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  AMERICA. 

lie  cannot  succeed  till  it  contains  a  certain  body  of 
men  imbued  with  the  principles  of  justice  and  honor." 

And  now,  patient  reader,  having  accomplished  my 
task  to  the  best  of  my  ability,  I  bid  you  farewell, 
trusting  that  our  peculiar  mode  of  warfare — into 
which  I  have  unavoidably  led  you — ^has  proved  no 
less  novel  and  exciting  than  the  rest  of  these  Wild 
Scenes. 


THE  END. 


KA 


t  t  it  {  ^> 


^rr|g,-^ 


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